Essence of Harry
by Blue Roses2
Summary: *Chapter 18 is up* A waltz is a dance of grace, seduction and daring. The dancers lightly touch hands, moving together before breaking away and seducting another partner... the same with the dance of life. Moments can change your life forever.
1. Unexpected Arrivals

                                                               Blue Roses

Disclaimer: I own nothing. 

Chapter One:

*Unexpected Arrivals*

            Harry woke to the sound of knocking. Shaking his head to get rid of the weird dream he had, involving some sort of knights and dueling, Harry looked around his room for the source of the noise. Squinting to adjust his eyes to the darkness, Harry reached over and put on his glasses. Looking towards the window, he saw six pairs of eyes looking in. He opened the window and let the owls come through. Harry looked at all the owls recognizing 4 out of the six, one being his own Hedwig. There was Errol, wheezing feebly on the bed, Pig, racing around the room in a whirlwind of fluff and feathers, and Hermes, resting importantly on his chair. Also there was 2 other owls on his bed posts. They were all carrying bulky parcels. He grinned when he realized what the parcels were for. It was his birthday, and it seemed that, unlike him, nobody else had  forgotten. 

After all owls were fed and watered, Harry set it upon his self to open the first parcel.

          Oi Harry,

                        Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday mate. Nothing exciting has been happening here at the Burrow, but you know how summer is, you can't wait for it to get here, but when it does, there is nothing to do. Hermione is coming on Thursday and is spending the rest of the summer with us. We asked Dumbledore if you could stay with us and he agreed! So, if possible, can we pick you up on Wednesday? If it's ok, Mum and Dad are coming in a muggle car, to pick you up with so be ready. Dad keeps talking about motors and muggle roads. He's having fun. Though the rest of us find it weird. 

            Hope you like my present, you're very hard to buy for, but still, I hope you like it!

           Happy Birthday,

                        Ron.

            Harry unwrapped Ron's gift, out rolled a Chudley Cannons poster and Quidditch Through the Ages. He grinned at the poster, it was so orange that his eyes started to water. He set Ron's gift aside and pulled the next parcel onto his lap.

            Dear Harry, 

                        How are you doing? I am having a fantastic summer! I am learning so much about English History. My parents and I spent the last 2 weeks exploring the entire southern part of Britain. It was brilliant! I know we were only supposed to write 2 sheets of parchment but I could not fit all the information into it! I hope to see you at Ron's, because the muggles don't always treating you well.

Harry snorted, that was the understatement of the century.

            I hope you like your present, It might help you with practicing your wonky feints. 

            See you in a couple of days,

                        Hermione 

          Harry pulled Hermione's present out of the bag.

"This is brilliant!"

            As it turns out, Hermione's gift was a book called 10,673 tips for Quidditch. Wondering in Ron and Hermione planned a theme this year, he grabbed the next closest package. 'Uhh, this package is soo heavy.' He slammed it down on his lap, silently praying that he wouldn't break a bone.

            Hullo Harry,

                        How's your summer going, Me and Fang are havin' a grand ol' time, bringin' new creature for CoMC. They are truly beautiful, but I can't tell you what they are, it's a surprise! Hope you like your present, it may come in useful. See you in September.

            Love,

                        Hagrid.

          Harry glanced cautiously at the brown paper wrapped package crushing his lap, and wondered if he should open it up in a room with nowhere to run. He slowly lifted the edge and discovered, two rock hard cakes and a shiny green stone, the when moved, reflected all the colours of the rainbow. The rock was quite small, small enough even, when Harry closed his hand around it, It seems to disappear. Although, for all its tiny size, it weighed a lot, maybe even as much as one of the cakes. He had no idea what it was for, so he placed it aside and planned to ask Hermione if she had any clue of what it was. He took and glance at the rock cakes, 'I can never, get enough of paperweights,' He placed them aside with a clunk, and took the next parcel.

          Harry,

                        I am presently at Reamus's for the summer. Dumbledore wanted me to stay close just in case something happened with Voldemort. I hope you are doing fine, and that the Dursleys are treating you fine. I will be seeing you more then you think this year. The present that lupin and I are giving you will come up useful, I hope. Please write back and tell me how you are doing.

            Love,

                        Sirius

            Harry opeaned up Sirius's and Lupins' present, he pulled out dark black, so dark that it looked blue in the light, bag. Wondering what was so special about it, Harry opened it. Inside it was a pair of glasses. Still curious about them, Harry switched them with his regular glasses. It made everything perfectly clear, clearer then normally. He looked in his mirror. He wasn't even wearing glasses! 'Huh?' He brought his hand up to his face to feel if they were even there. Harry ended up hitting his face. 'What the heck, where did they go?' There was a note at the bottom of the bag. 

            ~Harry, these glasses fix all eyesight problems. As soon as you put them on, they will disappear and you will not need your glasses. ~Sirius.

          It was a very useful present. Now when he played Quidditch, they would not get in the way, or like previously, when it rained, he would be able to see without mini rain wipers. Or fall off his face when doing everyday activities.

            The next present was from Fred and George. He cautiously opened it, not knowing what sort of animal might jump out or what sort of small explosion that might happen. He lifted the corner up an inch and glanced in... too dark, he lifted it up more. Inside the box was every teenage boys dream. Practical jokes, ranging from simple biting teacups to lovey dovey lollipops (which when you eat it, it makes the person you hate, fall in love with you for an hour). A jokers dream.

"At least they are spending their money wisely," Harry said dryly "they better have bought Ron those dress robes."

            As Harry placed the package back on the bed, he noticed a piece of parchment lying where George and Fred's gift had been. Harry picked it up and opened it.

            Harry, 

                        I didn't have any idea of what to get you for your birthday. I thought and thought about I, then I came up with this. It is an amulet. I found it in Diagon Alley. It will though, only protect you if believe in yourself and have faith. I know this sounds silly and almost unrealistic, but it truly works. If and when you come to the Burrow, I'll explain it if you want.

            With love,

                        Ginny

          Harry picked up the amulet and studied it closely. On it was an engraving of a lion. Surrounding the lion was a banner, it was gold and in writing was the letters _G.G. _Harry twirled the medallion around in his finger watching as gold magic followed it as it moved. Harry could feel the power radiating from it. 'Wow.' He placed the chain around his neck and felt the power fade away.

            The next letter was from Hogwarts, he was pleasantly surprised when he found out he was made a prefect. Thinking that after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the whole school must have gone nutters. 'Not that I'm was complaining though.'

Under that Hogwarts letter though, was a silken piece of parchment. It has a royal blue wax seal on it. Curious as he was, Harry did not want to open it. Who knows what could be lurking in it? Thinking back to last year with Hermione's incident  with Bubotuber pus, Harry put it aside. Minutes passed and Harry tried to distract himself with his other gifts. 

'I can't stand it…..'

            Harry opened they envelope. It vanished. Harry sneezed.

TBC


	2. Intentions

Chapter 2:

~ Intentions ~

            _A bright green light flashed overhead while a muttered word echoed through his ears. "MORSMORDRE!" They were running faster and faster. They could their footsteps chasing after them. Hermione stumbled, only to be dragged to her feet again by Ron and Harry. Suddenly a colossal skull, composed of emerald stars with a snake protruding from its mouth, raised above their heads. The surrounding area erupted with screams._

_**_

_            'Kill The Spare"_

_            "Avada Kedavra!"_

_            A swooshing sound was heard overhead. Harry glanced at Cedric, who was lying, unmoving on the dirt covered ground. A cauldron bubbled on nearby while Wormtail placed a bundle in near it. He tied Harry up to the tombstone, with Tom Riddle's name on it.  Wormtail revealed an ugly human, but so ugly, that it could not be human, child. He placed the child in the cauldron. Harry's scar was so painful that Harry's head felt like it would burst in half. _

_            "Bone of the Father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"_

_            " Flesh – of the servant- w-willingly given – you will – revive – your master." At this Wormtail brought out a dagger and placed in front of his arm, Harry knew what was going to happen too late, he quickly closed his eyes. THUD. A scream pierced the deathly quiet of the night. Chills ran through Harry as he tried to block out the sound. _

_            Blood of the Enemy, forcefully taken, you will resurrect your foe."_

Wormtail took the dagger and pressed it down on Harry's forearm. Blood seeped from the wound, pouring over his robes and into a vial, which Wormtail poured into the cauldron…. Long minutes passed.

Slowly sparks came up and out of the cauldron. A thin man rose from the depths. His snake like face with evil red eyes peered over at Harry.

_"Harry Potter" the voice said evilly_

_Lord Voldemort has risen again._

_*** _

"Harry."

            No answer.

            "Harry!"

            Harry slowly opened his eyes. The voice sliced through his sleep deprived mind and had jolted him awake. He groaned and closed his eyes again. He didn't know how Ron could stand the neon orange room. The sun made it even worse. He could see the radiating colour through his eyelids. 'Uhh, it sometimes looks like the inside of a pumpkin' He groaned again as a pillow started thumping him on his head.

            "Ron!" Harry growled, aggravated.

            "Aww, come off it Harry, I was just tryin' to wake you up," Ron said back. "Breakfast is ready now!"

            As anyone with a nose in working order could tell, breakfast _was _ready now. Almost drooling all over his pajamas, Harry changed into some clothes. As he and Ron raced downstairs, Harry marveled at the differences that came with living with the Weasleys', compared to the Dursleys'. Here at the Weasleys' Harry was treated like royalty, at the Dursleys' he was treated like trash. 'Oh well,' Harry thought, ' I won't see the Dursleys until next summer.' As Harry and Ron walked into the kitchen they were greeted with many different good mornings. From the bone crushing hug from Mrs. Weasley, to the overenthusiastic hello from Hermione, Harry felt more then welcome here in this cozy abode. 

            " 'Morning Mione, Mrs. Weasley, and everybody else," Nodding at each of them in turn while his gaze came to linger on Ginny's face. " 'Morning Ginny." Harry said quietly so only him and Ginny could hear. Ginny's face flushed with pink, as she ducked her head. As watching this exchange the Weasley brother's, shared worried looks. They knew that Ginny had a crush on Harry, and now it seems that Harry might be sharing the affections. 

            'God, he's gorgeous.' Ginny said to herself. A blush rose to her face once again, 'Get a grip, Harry doesn't like you that way…. But it would be so great if he did' Ginny thought dreamily. As she turned he attention back to her eggs and bacon, she never noticed the look that Harry gave her.

As Harry looked at Ginny, he was amazed at how much she had grown up in a month, she had gotten taller, and her body, even though the thought of this made Harry blush, had filled out. Her hair had grown longer and changed from red, to more of a redish gold. Her brown eyes were big and deep, her freckles faded slightly, and her mouth dark and full. Harry turned his attention away from her as he felt heat rise to his face. 'I guess I have changed a lot too.' Harry pondered. Harry noticed that he has grown taller. Not as tall as Ron, but only shorter by an inch or two. The clothes that had once been so big on him had became only slightly loose. His shoulders had grown broader and from playing Quidditch, he had grown muscular. With the absence of his glasses, his emerald eyes brightly shown. His hair that had once been a complete disaster now was only slightly messy. All in all, he had grown into quite a handsome young man, and this fact did not go unnoticed, well, at least by Ginny. 

            To everybody's annoyance, except maybe Mrs. Weasley, Percy greeted all of them, by coming in the front door.

            "Good Morning, mother, father. I am sorry to say that I am only here on business. I have to get my clothes, and personal item because I am off to Greece until Christmas at least."

            "Well, good show, Old man!" sniggered Fred.

            "Why yes, great job, but are you positive you will only be gone for Christmas, not any longer? You wouldn't want to get our hopes up." Added George.

            To this statement, everybody snorted into their eggs. Percy stomped out of the room, looking affronted and up to his room above.

            "Wait for it…." Murmured Fred, "Here it comes…"

            **BOOM!**

**            "**What happened?" asked Hermione, trying her best not to burst out into laughter.****

**            "**Well, we- umm- made some adjustments to Exploding Snap." Not succeeding like Hermione and rolling around the floor in laughter.

            "So what did you do?" Ginny giggled.

            " Exploding cauldron bottoms." Sniggered George.

            Percy burst through the door. His hair was sticking up, scorch marks were on hair face and his clothes were array. 

            "Who lined- my –cauldron- with exploding- snap?" He stammered.

            The guilty parties, mumbled their excuses and ran for cover out the door.

**

            After the whole exploding snap incident, Harry decided to go up to Ron's room and try to catch up on his sleep. Ever since he got that weird piece of parchment for his birthday, he was having trouble sleeping. Memories of Voldemort and the Death Eaters came flooding back to him in his sleep.

"Oi, Harry. Want to play a game of Quidditch? Fred and George agreed to play!"

            "Sure Ron, Give me a second though, I'll be down in a minute."

            As Harry walked to the stairs, he heard a voice carefully humming a song. He stood by their door, listening almost as if he was in a trance. He slowly opened the person's door. On the bed flipping through a copy of Witch's Weekly was Ginny. She sang on, not noticing that Harry was standing in her doorway gaping at her.  Harry inhaled loudly, not meaning to disturb her, and placed a hand over his mouth. Ginny slowly turned, until she was face to face with The Boy That Lived. 

            "Oops." Stammered Harry " I didn't mean to disturb you…"

            "It's okay," blushed the youngest Weasley "I didn't think anyone was listening"

            "Well, if this makes the situation any less uncomfortable, you have a very pretty voice. Erm.. Do you want to play Quidditch with us?"

            " Thanks, and I'd love too. Lets me just get my broom."

            As they met everyone else in the apple orchard, they had gotten over the whole humming incident and were joking and teasing that it made the other Weasleys almost uncomfortable. While Hermione, standing behind Ron, just stifled a giggle and a knowing smile with her hand.

            "Wittle Ginniekins is all grown up-"

            "Soon, she won't need her brothers-"

            "She'll have big, strong Harry to look out for her-"

            "But he will do more then look!"

            As the exchange between Fred and George progressed, Harry and Ginny, both simultaneously turned a nice rosey colour. Harry took off on his broom to avoid all confrontations. Ginny on the other hand turned redder.

            "Fred, George, my dear brothers of mine." She said sweetly, pausing for dramatic effect. "How much would our dear mother like to know about, Angelina and Katie? I'm thinking quite a bit…" She turned as if to run in the other direction. "Won't she?" 

            "Umm- really Gin-"

            "Yes, our sweet sister, who means so very- much- to us-"

            "We didn't – mean- to um-"

            "Say such things about you and dear Harry."

            Ginny looked appraisingly over them, decided to not say anything, and hopped on her broom. When she got into the air, she flew over to Harry,

            "Sorry about that, they just like teasing me, and this time you just happened to be involved. Sorry." she mumbled.

            "Anytime." He grinned.

*** 

            The next day, the Weasleys, plus Harry and Hermione, went into Diagon Alley. The separated and strolled off. Left in a group was Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny.

            "Were to? The Leaky Cauldron, for a butterbeer? Apothecary? 'Cause, I am running low on squid tentacles." Stated Ron.

            "What about Flourish and Blotts? I need to pick a book on curses and counter curses." Harry said.

            "Why do you need a book on curses? Is it on our reading list?" Hermione, was now very worried, thinking that she might have forgotten something so important to their studies.

            "No, no it is just something I want more background reading on." Harry replied.

            "Well, now your thinking properly, with the whole You-Know-Who thing going on."

            "I don't want to get it because of Voldemort- opps, sorry- I want to get so I can learn some more on defense and dueling."

            They all agreed and went into Flourish and Blotts.

*** 

_            "Nagini, come closer, what news do you have for you master?"_

_            "Massster, not to dissssappoint you, but the medallion can not be found………."_

            __


	3. We're Back

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry the update took a little longer then I wanted it to, but I had a lot of work to do and some exams that need studying for. Now that, that horror is over, I can get back to updating once or twice a week! Special thanks to the people that reviewed, especially **Blue Eyes, **my very first reviewer! **Please** read and **review!**

**Chapter 3:**

**~We're Back~**

            _With the swishing of cloaks, he blinked and was surrounded by men, if you use that term loosely, men wearing long, black cloaks. The hooded figures were completely covered. You could just make out the whites of their eyes._

_            He glanced up towards the sky, expecting great black darkness. Instead the sky was blood red. A voice passed by him._

_            "You killed me, you deserve to die" Harry looked around wildly trying to find the owner of the voice. It seemed to coming at him from every direction. The redness of the sky, combined with the swirling voices made him a little nauseous. _

_"You did Harry, you killed me. You deserve to die." Harry shut his eyes trying to block out the horrors of the night, but they kept flooding through his senses. His eyes opened as if a force was pulling them. He was forced to see what happen next. Cedric was lying there before him, looking as Harry last saw him. His deadly cold stare glared at Harry without really seeing him. _

_"Crucio!" a voice whispered, it came from on of the men in the long dark robes. Cedric began twitching, violently shaking back and forth. His mouth opened in a scream, but no sound came out. Harry tried to look away but couldn't.  'I didn't mean to. I-didn't-mean-to. Ididn'tmeanto…'_

_*** _

            Harry awoke shaking, soaked with sweat and his scar burning like fire. Harry glanced over at Ron's bed. A snoring orange lump met his eyes. He shook his head to erase the images in his head but couldn't. Flashes of Cedric and Voldemort, well, the man who he thought was Voldemort, kept going through his mind. Deciding to take a walk, Harry pulled off his covers and climbed out of his bed. Determined to get a glass of milk without waking the family ghoul up, then the ghoul waking the family up, Harry tiptoed downstairs towards the kitchen.

            As he walked outside, he headed towards his favourite grassy knoll, Harry noticed a redhead already sitting there. He walked up to her and sat down.            

"Hello Ginny," Harry greeted, "what are you doing up here this late?"    

Ginny glanced at Harry, looked down at the ground and sighed. "Thinking. We're going back to Hogwarts in two days, I wish it were tomorrow, but in a way, I have a bad feeling about this year." 

Harry glanced at Ginny surprised. After last year and the years before that, the adventures during the year were becoming almost a routine.

"Ginny," he said looking at her directly too her eyes. " Nothing will happen to you this year, I promise." 

She blushed, looking down towards her knees. Every since Harry came to the Burrow, Ginny's feelings for him grew.

Maybe it was the fact that she could handle a conversation with him without turning bright red and scurrying away in the opposite direction.

            "Why are you being so nice?" she asked him.

            "I don't know, it's a talent." He joked. 

            He reached into his pocket and pulled out the clear stone Hagrid had given him for his birthday. He had a hole drilled in it when they went to Diagon Alley, at a shop called Magical Gems, Jewels and Monies. In the shop, he had looked in countless amounts of books trying to find what the stone was. He had only found what the multi-colours meant. Luck. The weight had disappeared; it now was no weight at all. He had slipped a cord through it, creating a necklace. He decided that with the worrying that Ginny was doing, she needed it more than him. He held it up, the moonlight reflecting the stone.

            "Here, it brings luck. In everything." Harry said quietly. "Remember the amulet that you gave me for my birthday? The one that you said you have to have faith in? How does it work?"

            Ginny took the necklace from him. It changed from all different colours, to a pale emerald green, as soon as it touched her hand.  She looked at him, her eyes wide in surprise.  

            "Harry- I can't- umm- accept this." She stammered.

            He laughed, "Of course you can, I'm giving it to you." She was about to protest, when he held his hand up. "I insist. Now, can you please tell me how the amulet works?"

            Ginny looked at him, still surprised at the gift he had given her. "The amulet, works only for those Pure of Heart. It helps only those brave enough, strong enough, and wise enough." She looked thoughtful. "It is a very picky amulet."

            Harry glanced at her, doubt filling his face. What she just said was a lot to live up too. "Ginny, how do you expect this thing to help me? If it only works for those brave, strong and wise enough, how will it work for me?" He pulled the amulet out of his shirt. Ginny smiled.

            "Harry, it will work for you."

            "How can you be sure?" He looked in the direction she was looking, at the amulet. 

            "It wouldn't have let you place it around you neck otherwise."

***

            _"What do you mean the medallion can not be found? It is essential to my plan…. You must look harder. Do not disappoint me again Nagini…"_

_            "Yesssss.. masssster.. I will do my besssst….."_

_***_

            As Harry, the Weasleys, and Hermione, walked through King's Cross on September 1st, almost everybody was in a foul mood. Five of Fred's no-heat fireworks blew up in his trunk. Ron and George were complaining of lack of sleep. And Mrs. Weasleys was in a frenzy trying to get everyone organized. But they all made it safely to the train station, socks and robes packed (Fred's singed and still smoking slightly), wands in their pockets, and everybody's stomach full. They went through the barrier in pairs, to not arouse suspicions from the muggles.

            Harry, Hermione and Ron all boarded the train and search for an empty compartment. Finding one at the back, the settled in it. Ron and Hermione on one side Harry on the other. Ron and Harry were busy conversing how they can get Malfoy in trouble, Hermione was just listening, amused, when they heard on knock on the door. Malfoy and his two bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle, each flanking on either side of him, filled the doorway. 

            "Speak of the devil!" Ron exclaimed, snickering. 

            "Well, well, well if it isn't scarhead, and his little friends," Malfoy sneered. 

            "Get lost Malfoy! Unless you feel like being a ferret again." Harry retorted.

            "You better watch it Potter, this year the unexpected will happen, you better watch your back." With a final sneer Malfoy and his massive end pieces vanished down the corridor. 

            "I can't stand him, some day I'll-" Ron continued on with a variety of words, that if Mrs.Weasley heard, Ron wouldn't be allowed out of the house until he was sixty-three.  

            "Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.

            Ron was about to retort when he was cut off, by a knocking on the door.

            "If that's Malfoy again-" A cuff on the head by Hermione cut him off a second time. Ron just glared at her. Red curls poked their way through the crack in the door. Then, Ginny's head came into view.

            "Hey, can I sit with you guys? I really don't feel like sitting with Jen right now, she keeps babbling on about Seamus."

She said with a roll of her eyes. Jen, being her best friend, who told her every thing, loved to talk about boys, every week the boy changed, so the conversation was never boring. Although, her jabbering on did seem endless, sometimes, well, most of the time. 

            "Sure, have a seat." Harry slid over so Ginny could sit beside him. 

            "Thanks," Ginny mumbled as she sat down beside him. Ron watched the two narrowing his eyes. As much as he trusted Harry, he wasn't sure if he trusted him with his younger sister. Hermione, seeing the eye narrowing, elbowed him and gave him a look that made him swallow, and change the subject.

            "So, who's going to be the new Gryffindor Keeper?"

*** 

            _Voldemort swirled around in his chair. His chin resting thoughtfully in his palm. Harry Potter. That boy has ruined a countless number of his plans. But now, he was back stronger than ever, but still, able to defeat. That is why he needed that medallion. It enhanced the power of a wizard enormously. The problem was, the medallion only let those it liked to use its power. It would take powerful magic to confound it, to let himself use it. If only, he could find it……………_

_*** _

            "Oi, Harry, o'er 'ere!" Hagrid's voice boomed over the loud din of the students. As Hagrid caught sight of Harry, his jaw dropped. The boy must have grow nearly half a foot over the summer, he was nearly as tall as Ron. As the youth came closer to him, Hagrid clasped him in a warm hug. 

            "It's great to see you again Hagrid! Thanks for the letters and the birthday present."

            "Aww, it was nothin', you deserve it." Hagrid grinned.

            Harry was about to ask him exactly what the stone did when Hagrid turned away and started yelling.

            "Firs' years, o'er here, Firs' years!"

            Harry decided to ask him after the feast about the stone, when he wasn't as busy. As the swarm of students made their way up into the great hall, Harry was tapped on the shoulder. He turned around and looked into the twinkling eyes of Professor Dumbledore. Puzzled, Harry followed him, motioning to his friends to go on. He quietly followed in Dumbledore's footsteps, not a word spoken between them. Down halls and up stairwells, Harry followed silently. Finally, they stopped in front of the familiar gargoyle. 

            "Sugar Quill" Dumbledore said, finally breaking the deafening silence. The gargoyle sprang to life and allowed Harry and Dumbledore to enter. Up the final stairway to Dumbledore's office, Harry opened his mouth to ask a question, but before he could get any sound to come out, Dumbledore held up his hand to silence him. They reached the office door and pushed it open. Harry glanced in the room and collapsed in a dead faint.

***

            "Harry, Harry.." a voice loomed overhead. He awoke looking in the concerned eyes of his godfather. "Harry, are you okay?"

            Sirius glanced at Dumbledore, worry swirling in his eyes. Why had Harry fainted?

            "Harry, are you okay?" Dumbledore asked. 

            Harry pulled himself up on his elbows. Glancing around the room in confusion, he could have sworn he had seen Voldemort standing there with Cedric, laughing wickedly. Then a burst of pain hit his forehead, and the next thing he knew, he was on the floor. 'What the hell is going on….. 

  


	4. Pardon?

A/N- Again, thanks to all who reviewed, it is greatly appreciated! Suggestions, and/or comments are always helpful. I'm trying my best to update as fast a possible. Expect one about every week or so, maybe more if I get my act into gear. Since it is a weekend, I'm talking advantage of this leisure time and writing my forth chapter- Voila, here it is. Remember...... R&R!   
  
Chapter 4:   
Pardon?   
  
Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, Harry groaned with discomfort. A fire-burning pain flashed across his forehead. His stomach was cramped and his legs felt like lead weights. No even able to sit up, Harry scarcely remembered what had just happened. He had came off the train, and was walking to the Great Hall, when Harry, feeling fine at the time, was tapped on the shoulder. Remembering following Professor Dumbledore, has was lead, into the now familiar office. Seeing the sight that he thought awaited him, Harry fainted. Then he remembered seeing Sirius's face looming overhead. After that, it went black again.   
  
Now he lay here, wondering, where here was. The cream coloured ceiling above him swung in swirls as his stomach did the same. Suddenly, bright orange plumage flashed over his eyes. Wet drops hit his forehead. Was is raining? He thought stupidly, then, the pain disappeared. Sitting up and rubbing his still blurry eyes Harry glanced around. Here, he was, still in Dumbledore's office. The wetness that had cascaded on his head were tears from Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix.  
  
"Thanks Fawkes" he said quietly, looking around for the provoking object, that had caused him to faint. Noticing nothing unusual, Harry glanced around to find a clue that might help him find the reason why he was here. Seeing a stray phoenix feather on the ground, Harry picked it up, power radiating from the weightless piece of fluff. Tucking it into his robes, he walked to Dumbledore's desk. Lying there was a piece of parchment, it read;  
  
Harry,   
I realize how traumatic it must be to have fainted, coming to, and fainting again. I'm sorry that nobody was there when you revived, but as Headmaster, I must make an appearance at the opening feast. Fawkes will keep you company until I come back, please do not leave, this I can not stress enough. I have something very important to discuss with you. Sirius does as well. As soon as you finish this letter, food will arrive, so you won't become famished.   
Sincerely, Professor Dumbledore.   
  
As soon as, Harry read the last syllable of Dumbledore's name, a tray of food appeared, containing a small chicken, lamb chops, ribs, mashed potatoes, creamed beans, a melody of different vegetables and cranberry sauce. Also a cold pitcher of pumpkin juice appeared next to it, along with a goblet, plate, and other essential utensils. His stomach rumbling loudly, reminding him that he was hungry, Harry decided to tuck in. After finishing what was on the plate, Harry glanced around the room, trying to find something that would occupy his time, while he waited for Dumbledore and Sirius. Seeing a door ajar, Harry moved close to it. Seeing the Pensieve, exactly where it was the last year brought back memories. Memories Harry wish had been buried. Even though Harry didn't want to see inside the pensive, something, a force, was bringing him closer to it. Looking over the brim, he saw the familiar substance. It was a bright whitish-silver, continually it moved, the surface rippled like calm water being caressed with wind. Whatever the substance was, Harry couldn't make up his mind.  
  
He leaned in closer, learning from his experience last year, that he would not see the basin's bottom, but a clear picture of Dumbledore's thoughts. The substance swirled and twisted forming a picture of Hagrid, Harry leaned in closer, his nose touching the substance.  
  
Suddenly, as before, the office reeled forward, Harry felt himself being hurled forward into the basin.   
  
***   
  
Looking around his new surrounding, and giving it great thought, Harry realize he didn't recognize where he was. He was on a green, grassy hill. With a small village, down in a valley to the left, and a forest to the right oh him, and a glimpse of the sea in the distance, Harry assumed he was on the coast somewhere. A breeze ran through the air, sending a chill down Harry's back. Unwanted goose bumps appeared on Harry's arms and chest. He shivered. Turning he saw Hagrid and Dumbledore standing behind him. He faced them, knowing that they could not see him, or hear him if he talked.   
  
"Dumbledore, sir, I'ave talked wi' Olympe, and we're goin' in a fortnight. They're in Northumbria, an' we're ta meet 'em there," Hagrid said, nervously looking around. " If yeh don' mind me askin' sir, what if they don' want ta help us?"   
  
"Hagrid, I have complete faith in you. The future lies in our hands, we must succeed," Dumbledore sighed. "The balance lies thinly on a thread."   
  
***   
  
Once again, Harry was tumbled into a new memory.  
  
***  
  
Snape stood in front of Dumbledore's giant desk. Nervously, he shuffled foot to foot. Dumbledore looked up from the papers he was reading. He sighed, bleariness showing his face, his eyes were no longer twinkling, but sad and tired. His once smiling mouth was thin and in a tight line. His jaw clenched and brow weary. He rubbed his eyes and stared at Severus.   
  
"Does he believe you," Dumbledore questioned him. "Does he think that you are loyal to him?"   
  
Snape glanced down at his shuffling feet and almost simultaneously sighed with Dumbledore. He rubbed his temples, weariness also showing on his face, stress was taking toll on him as well. His usually brisk, sneering face was devoid of any emotion. His eyes and mouth drawn out, every feature looking pale from lack of sleep.   
  
"Yes, I believe he does," He sighed again, "It took him a little while, to test whether I was true to him or not."   
  
"But you're sure, he believes that you're not a fair-weathered friend?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"I owe you much for this Severus, you have my gratitude." He faintly smiled. "Please take a Dreamless-Sleep potion, you need one."   
  
Snape nodded briskly, energy slowly working its way back to him. He walked to the door and let himself out. Dumbledore glanced in Harry's direction, not seeing him, but looking past him to Fawkes. Fawkes wasn't looking too well. Half his feathers was missing, and it started to make a gagging noise. Harry, remembering in his second year, when he saw Fawkes on his burning day, was not surprised by what happened next. The bird burst into flames, a fireball, if you will. Suddenly the flame blew out and left there was a pile of ash. Watching it, a few moments later, a little bird thrust his head up from the ashes. Reborn after the fire. Dumbledore's voice carried softly across the room.   
  
"A new Hope."   
  
***   
  
With a jerk, Harry was back in Dumbledore's office, the one where an hour ago, he had fainted. Harry sat in the chair across from Dumbledore's desk. Suddenly tired, Harry closed his eyes. Sleep almost came to him instantly. He curled up, his face laying gently on his arm, and he dreamed.  
  
  
***  
He was at the burrow, upon his favourite grassy knoll, lying down with his face looking at the clear blue sky. The sun shown merrily overhead, making the world seem fresh and new. Fluffy, white clouds floated overhead. A perfect day. Clouds drifted by, while he heard explosions coming from the Burrow, probably from Fred and George's room. He looked down towards the lake and orchard. Bright red apples shone in the sunlight, the lake glistened with the rolling waves, drinking in the airy light.   
  
Wind rustled over head, a bird flew above him. A dove, it flew with purpose, strength, power, and yet, innocence, and delicacy. Harry's eyes followed it's path. Down towards the trees it flew, lowering with each gust of wind.   
  
The sky turned from a baby blue, to more of a royal. It was nearing dusk. The sun was setting, orange, red, and purple sparkled and glittered across the lake. Harry lay there, time passing quicker then imagined, watching the sun set, turning the pleasant sky into a dark navy blue, shining with stars. 'Ahh, sunset' Harry thought, sighing deeply. 'The only time when reality fades away and your left with fantasy. He blinked momentarily, capturing the beauty and innocence in his mind. His eyes opened.   
  
The sky was so black it shined with blue. No stars adorned the night sky. Harry glanced around him, the familiar surroundings were not the one he was in a minute ago. The dirt he was lying on was dry, mixed in with gravel. Spots of green broke their way through the barren ground. Tombstones were the only objects around him. A high cackled laugh shot across the deadly silence. Lord Voldemort hovered in the air above him.   
  
"Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived. The defeater of the Dark Lord. Simple names you have," Voldemort sneered down at him. "As you can see though, two of those names do not suit you. Here I am, the Dark Lord, feared by all. I am flesh, I live. You will not be the defeater of me. The Boy-Who-Lived, another name that does not quite fit, for you are not going to live....."   
  
Harry never looked at anyone in his life with as much hatred as he did now. His hand slowly made its' way down towards his pocket, trying to reach his wand. Voldemort continued talking.   
  
"...you see, I am going to kill you, not right away of course, but slowly, painfully. This time I will succeed. You will not slip by me again." Voldemort caught sight of Harry's hand making it's way down to his pocket. "Ahhh, I think not. Accio!"   
  
Harry's wand that had been so close to his grasp, was wrenched from his hand. Harry, now frantic, was unarmed. Voldemort played with his wand, twirling it between his fingers.   
  
"Think that you were smart, eh? Trying to deceive me by not conversing, but you see again, that I have outdone you yet anew. Crucio!"   
  
Harry's once peaceful body, twitched, shook and jerked from the curse. Pain shot through his body, he felt like he was splitting in two. His head burned like a hundred fires. Voldemort raised his wand, the burning ended. Harry's body still fidgeted, and trembled from the aftershock of the pain.   
  
Voldemort's high cackle shot through the sky once more. His red eyes flashed, as he looked dangerously upon Harry.   
  
"Avada Kedavra!" His voice boomed, the surrounding area crackled with energy. A green light flashed overhead. A force was blasted into Harry, the pain unbearable, his scar splitting in two. His laughter was circling around Harry. Louder and louder.......   
  
***   
  
"Harry!"  
  
Harry turned his head, curling up on the other arm, ignoring the voice whispering in his ear.   
  
"Harry, wake up."  
  
He moaned, tired from the day, just wanting to go back into sleep's silence.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Harry finally opened his eyes, staying into the smiling eyes of Sirius.  
  
"Sirius!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here? How long are you staying? Where are you staying?"  
  
Sirius smiled, the twinkle was back in his eyes, like in the photo Harry kept. He was sturdier, heathier and  
cleaner looking then at the end of last year. Harry, sitting up, smiled at the man. So happy to see him there, safe, and healthy.  
  
"I'm here for 3 days, I'm staying here, but the reason why, I can not say." Sirius stated.  
  
Harry eyed Sirius suspiciously, why wouldn't he tell him why he was staying. A cough came from behind them. Harry turned to see Dumbledore standing there. Dumbledore looked only a little better then what Harry had seen in the Pensieve. His eyes, had a little sparkle back, but not what Harry had remembered from before, in previous years. He grinned at Harry.  
  
"Tired, I see." he said amused. "Well, I'm glad you decided to stay, you see." he sighed. "I have something very important to discuss with you. It involves something that you have."  
  
Harry looked at him, confused. What did he have? It must be important from the sound of Dumbledore's voice. The way he looked at Harry, the way he was looking into him.   
  
"What is it that I have?" Harry asked him. "What could I have that is so important?"  
  
"Harry, what is around your neck right now?"  
***  
As Harry walked back to Gryffindor tower, he had a lot on his mind. The amulet, Sirius, and Ginny. Confusingly enough, Ginny was the foremost thing on his mind. Not the danger of the amulet, not the escapade Sirius was about to do, but the way Ginny's hair shimmered. The way she spoke, the gentleness of her touch. When he approached the Fat Lady, his thoughts were clouding his vision, that he almost walked into her.  
  
"Uh, sorry. Moonseed." The Fat Lady smiled as he said the password Dumbledore gave him. He walked into the warm, honey and red coloured common room. Seeing Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in a corner, he walked over to them. Descending down next to Ginny, he moaned in exhaustion. They all looked expectantly at him, silently asking him what happened. Ron couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"Well," he said impatiently, "what happened?"  
  
Harry looked at him wearily, the knowledge he received from Dumbledore taking effect on him. Ginny lay her hand on his forearm, smiling encouragingly. Harry glanced at her, smiling thankfully. The he looked at Ron, Hermione and Ginny in turn.  
  
"Something happened to me, whether it is good or not, is another question. But it is thanks to Ginny here that I got it."  
  
"Pardon?" the said, in unison.  
  
"Well, I just learned that I hold the greatest power, around my neck."  
  
TBC.....  
  
Blue Eyes: Harry will realize that he likes Ginny sooner or later, just give him time.  
Princess Hermione: You will find out why Harry fainted in the next chapter.  
Happy Reading! 


	5. Ado about Harry

Chapter 5:  
~Ado about Harry~  
  
Sirius looked at Dumbledore. Worry showed in his eyes. The conversation he had with Harry an hour ago left a disturbing thought in his mind. 'What if Voldemort knows?' He hadn't realized that he had voiced his opinion out loud.  
  
"He doesn't know where it is." Dumbledore concluded.  
  
"How can you be sure?" Sirius asked.  
  
"The medallion, is made from a metal, a metal that is so rare and so powerful, that only the most influential of wizards could afford it. As soon as Harry placed that amulet around his neck this summer, I knew. The object I own, from the same metal and the same wizard, started humming. Voldemort does not have such a metal in his possession. Of course, I knew it was Harry, for the amulet chooses the wizard it wants to be placed upon. It only chooses the wisest, bravest and strongest. Unfortunately, that amulet cannot be removed from his neck, unless it is connected with its mate. Sadly, I do not own that. The medallion, that Harry owns, will give him power, power beyond our imagination. For that medallion belonged to a very powerful wizard..."  
  
***  
  
Ron, Hermione and Ginny stared at him in shock. Almost comical really, the way their mouth hung open, their wide eyes almost popping out. Ginny was the first to recover. Well if you call stammering, and making no sense at all recovering.  
  
"You, huh? Medallion- Me...-you- erm- huh?" Ginny stuttered.   
  
Harry grinned at her, still felling slightly weird at the thought of the medallion. Then looked away, because of the heat rising to his face.  
  
"You have WHAT?" Ginny practically shrieked. Finding her voice at last.  
  
Harry looked at her. Even with the comical look on her face, Harry still thought her beautiful.   
  
"I have a medallion, that you gave me, that holds a very forceful power. So powerful in fact, that if I learn how to use it, I could have no trouble at all '....destroying the bloody world...' according to Snuffles." Harry said this all quite calmly. Oblivious to the looks of disbelief, Harry continued.  
  
"The problem is, that I don't know how to use it. I don't know the way it works. Dumbledore said eventually, it will just come to me." He yawned. This was such a long day. "Can we talk about this in the morning? I'm really would just like to go to bed."  
  
"Sure Harry, But just one more question." Ginny asked. "Who's Snuffles?"  
  
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who were unusually quiet. "Can you guys tell her, I'm going to bed"  
  
And with that, Harry disappeared up the stairway and into his dormitory.  
  
***   
  
Harry walked into the Great Hall the next morning feeling tired, upset and haggard. Even though he went to sleep last night early enough, he spent the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep. But on the chance that he did get sleep, it was filled with nightmares. Nightmares about Cedric and Voldemort. The same vision he had in Dumbledore's office came back to haunt him. Cedric dead eyes staring at him, Voldemort laughing. Harry shuddered as he sat down next to Ginny, across from Ron and Hermione.  
  
Ginny looked at him. Questions were in her eyes, and Harry knew what they were.  
  
"After breakfast." he said quietly. She looked at him, understanding now replacing the questions. She nodded.  
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who were again, bickering. What about, Harry didn't know. 'I probably don't want to know.' he thought. But as the whispered argument progressed, Hermione turned red, threw her toast at Ron and stalked off.   
  
Harry looked at Ron eyebrows raised. As if to say- What-did-you-do-to-piss-her-off-now? Ron looked at him meekly, then ran to follow her.  
  
Ginny started giggling. Harry looked at her, trying not to be caught up in the contagious giggling himself.  
  
"What?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face.   
  
"Well..."  
  
"Come on, tell me."  
  
"Well, last night, at the feast, Dumbledore announced that since the ball was so great last year, the teachers are planning another one for this year." She sighed. "Ron wants to ask Hermione-"  
  
"Of course he does, It's been so obvious. Arguing was their way of flirting. It's about time-" He interrupted Ginny.  
  
"Yeah, well, he didn't ask her. I think he's still sore about the Krum thing last year."  
  
"Ahhh," said Harry. Now understanding. As usual Ron was too thick to look in front of his nose.   
  
Harry, now done with breakfast, stood up.   
  
"Want to go for a walk? We can talk about- erm- Snuffles." He held out his hand for her. She smiled and took it. As he pulled her to her feet, he tried not to think about the way her hand fit perfectly into his. The way that she smelled when her hair brushed his shoulder. They were less then a step apart, quite uncomfortable with the situation, they both turned a very nice shade of rose. Quickly, dropping her hand, they walked to the Great Hall's entrance. Ginny, trying her best not to show her disappointment.  
  
The walked through the entrance hall, and down to the grounds. Smoke could be seen coming out of Hagrid's hut. Since the classes officially started the next day, they had a day to laze around. The air was warm and held a fragrance of roses on it. The lake glimmered with the sunlight, while the Forbidden forest looked like a dark cloud was permanently hung over it.   
  
They strolled down toward the lake, and the oak tree that stood near it. Harry, discovering this place last year, decided that it would be the perfect place to tell Ginny about Sirius and the amulet. As they were about to sit down, Harry felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. Placing his hand on the tree to stable himself, he shook his head. Another wave passed over him again. He sat down quickly, Ginny kneeling beside him, eyes full of concern.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?"  
  
Then it all went black.  
  
***  
  
A hazy, face looked down at him. Worry was written all over it. The person mouth opened, but he couldn't understand what was being said.   
  
'Harry, it's time to wake up.......' A singsong voice whispered in his ear. He blinked, clearing his vision. Ginny was looking terrified.  
  
"Harry, are you okay? Can you hear me?"  
  
Harry nodded. "What happened?"  
  
"Well, at first you sort of lost your balance, then you put your hand on the tree, to steady yourself. Then you sort of lost focus or something, you started mumbling something, sat down, then fainted. You've been out for 3 minutes." She said this all in a rush, obviously very concerned about him.  
  
Harry felt a vibration around his neck. He reached in the top of his robes to retrieve the humming object. When he brought the object into view. It was glowing.  
  
'Oh. My. God.' Was the only coherent thought that reached his brain.   
  
Ginny looked at the medallion astonished. "It didn't look like that when I bought it." was all she said.  
  
It indeed had changed. Now at the back of the amulet was a space, the size of a thumb print, maybe a little bigger. It had a whole through it as well, right through the middle, under the lion, but above the banner. The hazy glow around it was a deep red, scarlet almost. Harry and Ginny stared at it dumbfounded for minutes.  
  
Then it hit him. Not literally, of course. But a thought, a loose thought scattered to his brain.   
  
'Power, is absorbing, into me.'  
  
"Ginny." he said whispered, shaking. "Do you know what this means?"  
  
"No thought in hell." she whispered back.   
  
"It's giving me its power."  
  
***  
  
A man stood at the entrance of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He looked to the castle, sitting atop a great hill. 'It feels unnatural to be back' he thought. With that, he made his way up the hill.  
  
***  
  
Harry has never run so fast in his life. Up the hill, running through the entrance hall, up stairway after stairway, and to the gargoyle. Ginny just a breath behind him.  
  
"Sugar Quill! Sugar Quill!" The gargoyle sprang to life, admitting Harry and Ginny safely inside. The ran up the stairs to Dumbledore's office, taking the steps two at a time. Bursting through the door, they stopped in the middle of the office out of breath.  
  
Dumbledore look up from his tea, startled by the two students who had burst through his door.  
  
"Why Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, what can I do for you two?" He asked politely, a small curving at the corner of his mouth.  
  
Harry held up the glowing object that was around his neck.  
  
"What- gasp- does- this- gasp- mean?" He managed to get out.  
  
Dumbledore's face went very thoughtful. "Well, I believe it means, that you have started absorbing its' power. Perhaps that is why you have been so dizzy the past few days. That would explain you fainting." he said this quite calmly, taking a sip of tea. "Why don't you both take a seat."  
  
He conjured up two chairs with the wave of his hand. Ginny and Harry both sat, gratefully, finally able to breath properly. A tea tray floated in front of them, and they both took a cup. Dumbledore stood up, pacing back and forth across the room, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Them he walked across the room, and opened a drawer, muttering to himself the whole time. Ginny shot Harry a look. She raised her brows in question. He looked back and shrugged. Fawkes had landed on Harry's knee.  
  
"Lo, Fawkes." He whispered. "Thanks for waking me up the other day." He petted Fawkes absently while Dumbledore searched.  
  
Ginny, on the other hand looked around nervously. She had never been up here, in Dumbledore's office, and therefore, she only have one conclusion. 'Ron was right, he is weird.' The room was fulled of magical gadgets and gizmos, thing Ginny has never even seen before, much less knew existed.   
  
"Ah, Ha!" Dumbledore said, successful in his mission, whatever it was.   
  
Dumbledore brandished a sword, and a very large textbook. He settled back down in his seat. Placing both objects in front of him. Harry and Ginny looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Harry," Dumbledore said, "Bring your amulet here." Harry placed his tea down on the hovering tray, and walked over to him. With every step he took, the sword and his amulet started humming louder and louder, glowing more brightly.   
  
"Uhh, Sir?" Harry asked, unsure of what to do.  
  
"Thank-you Harry, you may sit down now. You see, these items we have here were crafted by the same man, they are both very powerful pieces, and the hold more magic then we could imagine. Even though I've tried to discover more about this piece, I haven't the faintest idea of what it does. The only thing I know is that it was a weapon favoured by Godric Gryffindor-"   
  
"But Professor," Harry interrupted. "Wasn't it Godric Gryffindor's sword I used in my second year?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes Harry, it was. But the sword you received then, was a sword he owned, yes, but this sword here, was one he made. As he made the medallion you are wearing around your neck. This sword, and the medallion you're wearing, contains the magic of Godric Gryffindor. The power he possessed is in these items. But not these alone, there is another. We are unknown to it. The piece we are missing is needed, for that is the only way to release the true power of his magic. The power you're receiving now is strong, stronger then any modern magic, but only a figment of what he truly possessed. Somehow the pieces fit all together. How, I'm not sure." He sighed rubbing his forehead.   
  
Ginny, who had kept quiet this whole time, was feeling quite restless. "Professor Dumbledore," she said, "Are you saying that Harry has the power of Godric Gryffindor?" She said disbelievingly.   
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her tone. "In a way Miss Weasley. Harry only has a very small piece of his power, but it will indeed make Harry mush more stronger in his magical abilities."  
  
Dumbledore held up the textbook. "Harry, this is for you. It is all about Godric Gryffindor and his powers, a few I think you might be experiencing soon-"  
  
A knock on the door interrupted him. "Excuse me." He said, and went to open it. A man stood in the hallway. He was about middle years, 37, Harry guessed. Tall, lean and muscular, he looked like an athlete. His brownish-blonde hair was messy, but purposely so. Sapphire blue eyes sparked as he shook hands with Dumbledore.  
  
"Ahh, Professor Lehnor, I was expecting you. Please come in. Let me introduce you to two of our student body. Mr. Potter, and Miss Weasley."  
  
Ginny and Harry both addressed him in turn.  
  
"Hello," greeted the Professor, "Which houses are you in?"  
  
"We're both in Gryffindor, sir." Harry stated. "I'm in fifth and Ginny's in fourth year."  
  
"Then I'll be seeing you bright and early tomorrow morning, Harry."  
  
With that, Dumbledore opened the door again, and said, "Ginny, Harry, I am assuming it is almost lunch. Please contact me if anything happens again."   
  
"I will, Professor. See you tomorrow Professor Lehnor." Harry followed Ginny out the door, carrying the extremely large textbook.  
  
Ivan Lehnor settled himself down in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.  
  
"He reminds me a great deal of James at that age." he commented.  
  
"That he does, Ivan, that he does."  
  
***  
  
As Harry and Ginny walked down to the Great Hall for lunch, they spotted Ron and Hermione over at the table. Ron and Hermione seemed to be getting along quite well since their little tiff that morning. They sat down and started telling them every thing that happened since breakfast thing morning, including the new professor.  
  
"A new professor? He must be for the DADA." Ron concluded.  
  
"Of course he is, Ron," Hermione said. "Dumbledore didn't mention him at the feast last night though."  
  
"Well, he did just arrive 'Mione," Harry added "Maybe he wasn't sure that he was coming."  
  
***  
  
The Gryffindor fifth years were very excited about their first DADA lesson, the next morning. The new professor was already very popular. There was even a bet seeing if he would last more then one year, the total so far was 14 Galleons. Ron wanted very much so to win this bet.  
  
"He'll last more then a year, I know it." he said. "He must, after the bad luck every professor has had so far, he's bound to have good luck."  
  
As the professor walked into the classroom, Dean Thomas's hand shot up.   
  
"Yes?" Professor Lehnor asked.  
  
"Well, sir, If you don't mind me asking, but what are you?"  
  
"Pardon?"   
  
"You must be something special, 'cause see, not of our teachers were normal. We had a stuttering evil guy, a big oaf, a werewolf and a imposter. So what are you?"  
  
Professor Lehnor smiled. "Mr. Thomas it is?" Dean nodded. "I am an Animagus."  
  
TBC....  
  
Special Thanks to my reviewers. Your what keeps me writing!  
R&R! 


	6. Feathers and Flattery

**A/N: **Thanks to everybody who reviewed, all **comments** and/or **suggestions** are greatly appreciated.  I'm trying my **best** to update as soon as possible, but as you know, things h**appen** when you **least expect** them. Remember… **R&R**

**Disclaimer: **I don't, own any of the Harry Potter characters, all belong to J.K. Rowling, the writing genius that she is. 

**Chapter 6:**

**~Feathers and Flattery~**

"Really sir, you're an Animagus? That is so cool!" Dean Thomas said, with a little too much enthusiasm.

 "What do you turn into? Was it hard? When did you do it? How long did it take?" Questions came bouncing in from every direction. Professor Lehnor looked amazed at the reaction of his news. He raised a hand; a strong Silencing charm went over the room. After everyone's mouths stopped moving, he took it off. 

            "I will be more then happy to answer everyone's questions, but please, if you must talk, raise you hand. Then it will be a lot less confusing." Hermione raised his hand. "Yes, Miss. Granger."

            "Sir, How long does it take to become an Animagus, I read that it takes months, even years to do so. How long did it take you personally?" Hermione said this all in a very business like matter, as if she was conducting an interview.

            "It took me," the professor paused, thinking. "Umm, four years exactly." 

            Seamus raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Finnigan, isn't it?" Seamus nodded. 

            "Professor, first, was it hard? And secondly, when did you decide to become an Animagus?"

            "Yes, it was extremely hard, but then again, I was just a mere second year when I started. I finished at the beginning of my sixth year."

            Harry raised his hand. "Yes, Harry."

            "What type of animal do you turn into, professor?"

            Ivan Lehnor smiled. "I was waiting for someone to ask me that."

            Then, he started to change. Shrinking to become about a foot tall, feathers sprouting all over his body. Wide eyes were staring at them all, surrounded by a moon shaped face. There, perched on Professor Lehnor's desk was a barn owl, hooting mischievously, it fly above them all, coming near the Gryffindor fifth years' heads. Landing back on the desk. It winked.

***

            As the Gryffindor sixth year students went up to the great hall for lunch, they were contentedly discussing the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry followed Ron and Hermione down the table to a row of empty seats.  Settling down and pouring a goblet of pumpkin juice, Harry never noticed the redhead sitting down beside him.

            On the other side of Harry, an argument could be heard all through out the Gryffindor table.

            "Hermione, that is not possible. It ridiculous to even think about that." Ron was arguing.

            "How so? It is possible."

            "No it's not. It's bloody impractical."

            "It could've happened!'

            "Oy, Harry, Hermione thinks that- Oww!" Whatever Ron thought was so important to say was cut off when a pair of fingers connected with his ear.

            "Oww, Hermione, my ear is attached to my head you know."

            Hermione stood up, and Ron had no choice but follow, of course, if he liked his ear where it was. Their shouts could be heard all the way through the Great Hall and into the entrance hall.

            Harry sighed, wondering if Ron and Hermione could go a day without arguing. Knowing he was wishing the impossible, he turned to Ginny.

            "Hey, Ginny."

            Ginny looked up from the letter she was reading to acknowledge Harry, but then glanced down to finished reading her letter. Harry, wondering what could be so interesting, slyly tried to glance over her shoulder. Ginny, knowing what he was doing looked up and laughed at his antics. 

            "Harry! This is private!" Harry just looked at her, willing her to put it away and talked to him.

            "Please, Ginny, read it later. Don't you want to talk to me?" Harry flashed her a false sad look, but then grinned when she did as he asked.

            "You know how yesterday we were going to talk about Sirius?"

            Ginny thought for a moment. "Oh, yeah.. Why?"

            "Maybe we can actually finish that conversation today."

            "Sure, hold on." Ginny grabbed two sandwiches and wrapped them up in a napkin. She grinned. 

"Don't want to starve." She stood up, shrugging sheepishly, waiting expectantly for Harry to do the same.

Harry rose, following her out of the hall, down the entrance hall and onto the grounds. They walked to the same tree that they were at yesterday, settling down, but with no mishaps today.

They lay down with their elbows propped with their heads leaning on their hands, glancing over at the lake. Ginny took a glance at Harry, wondering if he was okay. His face was pale and his emerald eyes didn't seem as bright as usual. Maybe the stress of absorbing power was getting to him. It would be to her, if she had to deal with all that anxiety. 

Harry sighed with weariness; the last few days had taken a toll on him. When and if sleep came, it was a blessing. On the rare occasions when he went into deep sleep, dreams haunted him. The guilt of what happened last year was burning him. He often woke up shivering and covered in sweat. Also, with the amulet constantly glowing and humming, Harry assumed that he was being given its power. From all the extra energy being poured into him, Harry was exhausted. All the time. Ever since his birthday. He remembered that day quite clearly, even though he was unsure of what happened. He remembered that strange parchment that he received, but still had no idea of what happened to it. It was there, but then it vanished.  Where it went, Harry didn't discern.

"So," Ginny's voice broke the silence. "What exactly is this, erm, Snuffle about."

"Snuffles' real name is Sirius Black. He was convicted of murder 13 years ago. Oh, and he's my godfather."

Ginny just stared at him. 

"It all started in my third year. I was seeing this big black dog everywhere; everybody thought it was the Grim. Well, not everybody- just the bat-eyed Divination teacher, Professor Trelawney. But still, she made people believe I was going to die. It was very entertaining, well for the first 20 times, then it just got repetitive. The Ron had this nightmare, where he saw Black above his head with a knife, except it wasn't a dream. Black was really there. You remember this right?"

Harry paused, waiting for input from Ginny. What she said was very unexpected.

"I knew it! I knew he must have had something to do with you. If he's your godfather, why don't you live with him?" 

Harry stared at her, amazed at her acceptance at his news. It had taken a lot of explaining to Hermione, Ron and even himself before he believed Black. 

"Shall I continue?" Ginny nodded.

"Well, you know Ron's rat, Scabbers? Well, he is an Animagus, and he goes by the name of Peter Pettigrew." He paused again, because Ginny's face. It turned from amazement to inquiry. 

"Peter Pettigrew… wasn't that the guy that was killed?"

"He made everyone believe that he was killed, by Sirius. But really, he chopped off his finger and turned into a rat. He did this because-" Harry's voice broke. Memories came flashing back to him. His parents, green lights and a high cackling laugh, flashed through his brain. 

"-Because he sold my parents out to Voldemort. He didn't want people to turn against him, even though he was on Voldemort's side. He was afraid of Sirius, and you know Professor Lupin? Well they were both friends with my dad, and well, when Pettigrew was disloyal to him, they wanted revenge. But the one time it counted-" His voice broke again. 'Why is this so hard to tell her?'

"- The one time it counted, Pettigrew got the best of them."

Ginny looked at Harry, she laid her hand on his arm willing him to continue. 

            "Pettigrew was my parents' Secret Keeper. Everybody thought it was Sirius, so when Pettigrew told Voldemort, everybody turned on Sirius. Sirius went to confront Black, and he ended up in Azkaban. Then, since Sirius is an Animagus, he turned himself into a dog; he was able to escape from Azkaban. So he ended up looking for Peter, and since Peter was here, he came to Hogwarts.  Pettigrew ended up getting away. Now Sirius is free, but still on the run."

            Harry finished this all with a sigh, but still, in a way, felt slightly more relaxed. Perhaps the reason he was feeling more relaxed was the fact of Ginny's hand resting softly on his arm. But as he thought about it that was probably doing the opposite of relaxing him. As she subconsciously brushed her hand over his arm, shivers appeared at the back of his neck. 

            Ginny only realized her hand was still on his arm when his hand clasped down on top of hers. A shiver ran through her. He leaned in, as her face was tilting towards his, came in closer.

            A squawk rang through the air as Hedwig dropped a letter down on Harry. A silken piece of parchment tumbled down into Harry's lap. It had a royal blue wax seal on it. Engraved in it was a flower, a rose. Surrounding the rose was a banner. On the banner were tiny carven signs, ancient signs by the look of them. Whatever they said, Harry could not decipher. Perhaps they were from an ancient magical race, or maybe it was somebody's idea of a practical joke. Harry, remembering the parchment he received on his birthday, carefully opened it in full view of Ginny, just to prove he wasn't going crazy. As the wax seal was broken, it started to crumble, into dust, until it was gone. Harry and Ginny both sneezed.

            'Huh?' 

*** 

After dinner, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione all walked up to the common room. They talked animatedly of the Quidditch games yet to come. They all wanted to know who would be the new Keeper, for both Ron and Ginny were trying out for various parts of the team this year. 

As they went through the portrait hole, they were brutally assaulted with loud noises. It seemed that there was a party going on, well, party was the sane world for it. George and Fred Weasley seemed to be the main makers of the noise. The seemed to have enhanced their vocal capacities by at least 50 percent, and even without magic, their volume was a force to be reckoned with.

"What is this all about?" Harry asked. There was no reason to celebrate, except for getting through the first day back and still being alive, but then again, he didn't have Potions until Wednesday. 

"Well, Harry old boy, we have some very first-rate news for you. You see, we are celebrating the promotion of our new Quidditch captain, and that's you, Mate…" Fred said this all in a very fake, very serious, posh accent.

In the same accent George continued where his brother left off.  "… Sadly, yes terribly sad it is," He made a dramatic sweep of his arm, brushing phony tears from his eyes. "We well not be here no longer once thou year is gone. What you'll do without us, is too sad to think about…" Again went the dramatic sweep.  

Fred sustained the conversation, his arm going around Harry's shoulders.

"You are the best suited for this job, you play like the devil himself, and you'll be here for more then one year. So whether you like it or not, you're the new captain…. Now, to get onto more serious matters, has anyone seen my fireworks?"

Harry, who had remained quiet throughout this exchange, was completely speechless. Ginny ran up to his giving him a hug. 

"I'm so happy for you!" Harry, surprised by the hug, went into an even more speechless state, if possible. He hugged her back, willing himself to just doing that, nothing more, for the present Weasley brothers were giving him looks he really didn't want to deal with. It was still a very strange feeling, Harry wasn't used to the traditional acts of love, for Harry had grown up in a life void of it. The Dursley's thought public acts of display quite shameful. Sure he saw what happy families and a couple did, but was never on the receiving end of it. Except from the bone-crushing hugs from Mrs. Weasley, and the shy, but friendly hugs from Hermione, Harry was very new to this concept.

As he unhappily let go of Ginny, he thought about being the new Quidditch captain. Suddenly a question formed in his mind.

"Umm, who's going to be our new Keeper?"

*** 

            It was settled. Tryouts were to be held on the following Saturday. Since all the team except Harry was going to leave the following year, he was having tryouts for every position on the team, not just Keepers. So in case of an accident, or that somebody was unable to play, there would be no problem finding a replacement.

            When Saturday arrived, a group of anxious Gryffindors awaited Harry as he walked down to the pitch. Seeing two redheads in the midst, he grinned. He could now see what his friends were made of. 

"Oy, Harry!" Over here!" Ron overeager face greeted him. 

"Hey, Ron, Ginny." Ginny blushed, his gaze, stared deep into her eyes.

"Harry, dear friend of mine. You're looking rather pleasant this morning-"

"Yes, and your odor isn't nearly as eye watering as someone once mentioned."

Harry turned to look at the Weasley twins. 

"Fred, George, when are you going to learn that flattery is not going to get you anywhere."

"Yes, but see here Harry dear, Mon cherie, Mein herr, I am not trying to go anywhere, **I** am trying to go somewhere." Fred grinned, then took off into the air, followed closely by George.  

Setting up a scrimmage, Harry put Ron as a Keeper, but Ginny as a Chaser. Also, there was Seamus, trying out for Chaser too. There were two third years, Sarah MacDonald, and Dennis Creevey, who were, like Ginny, trying out for a Chaser position as well. Dennis's brother on the other hand was down on the grass mastering the sport of clicking his very favourite, very faithful camera.  Dean was trying out his luck with a club, and Ginny's friend Jen was joining him.  And a newly transferred student from Ireland, Ciaran Corrigan, who was a fourth year, trying out for Seeker. At first Harry had doubts of letting a person try out for his position, but the more he thought about the amount of accidents he has on average per year, Harry decided to let him try out. Thinking, maybe, in a way, it would be good to have a back-up Seeker. As the regular stood with Harry on the sidelines, they judged the players on their flying abilities, the confidence of their flying abilities and the way they preformed in each of their given positions. 

            Harry noticed at once that Ciaran was indeed a very good Seeker. The way he kept a eye on the game, but still have the majority of his attention on finding the Snitch. Also, almost surprisingly, Dennis Creevey was a very good Chaser. He was fast and limber. The only person able to keep up with him and the Quaffle was Ginny. She was on the opposing team. Dennis had scored on Ron, only once out of the countless tries he had. 

            Harry raised himself up onto his Firebolt. He did a complete circle above the pitch watching each player's personal style. Glancing back to the castle to see if there were any latecomers. Harry saw somebody sitting on the hill watching the practice. Harry, recognizing him at once flew over. 

            "Ahh, Professor. Do you play Quidditch?" 

            Professor Lehnor grinned at Harry. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I was on the Gryffindor House team when I went here. I was a Chaser."

            Harry glanced at him in surprise. Certainly when he first saw Professor Lehnor, he assumed he was an athlete, but he never thought he was on a House team at Hogwarts. Harry out of the blue, was struck with a question.

            "Professor, did you know my father?"

            Ivan grinned at him yet again. "Yes, I most certainly did, for I was very good friends with your father." His expression changed from one of happiness to one of the contradictory emotion. "Your father was a very good friend of mine, it was a terrible day when him and Lily died."

            "You knew- my, um, mother as well."

            "Everyone knew Lily, she was the most generous person. She thought nothing but giving."

            Harry now with the knowledge, that Professor Lehnor was in the same year as his dad, that he must have known Remus and Sirius as well. He must have spoken his thought aloud for Professor Lehnor answered his question.

            "Yes, I knew them and I still know them. They were and are very good friends of mine. Do you keep in contact with them as well?"

            "Weekly. Sirius likes to know what I'm up to, or as he puts it '…. What rules I've broken…' he seems to be happy when I do." Harry pondered this thought as Ivan broke out in laughter.

            "That sounds very must like Sirius, he tried to break a rule everyday. I think that was his goal. Wait, no. His goal was to get Snape in trouble everyday. It usually ended up with him cleaning up frog brains in the dungeon though. I am sad to say that I have to go now, think of something to do with your class on Monday. I'd like to talk to you again Harry."

            "Me too Professor." Happy to finally, have someone else to talk to about his father, Harry left the conversation in a good mood. 

            He flew back over the pitch, making final arrangements for the reverse team, and this years' Keeper. Flying down to his friends, Harry never noticed to changing shape of the medallion underneath his shirt.

*** 

            When the team walked into the Great Hall, Malfoy, and his two lackeys bombarded Harry. Sighing because he did not feel like facing Malfoy's arrogance, he kept walking. He stopped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around he was, again, faced with the pale faced, blond twit. 

            "What do you want Malfoy?" He snapped. His tiredness overcoming the emotion he tried to keep covered.

            "Nothing much Potter, I hear that you're the captain of your Quidditch, and I was wondering who died in your family now, so that people felt sorry enough to give you the promotion. But then as I thought-"

            "You actually thought, I hope you didn't hurt yourself in the process."

            Malfoy sneered. "Clever Potter, but incredibly cliché." Malfoy's eyes flashed a bright red before turning back to his original colour.

            Harry, startled by the change of Malfoy's eyes, was a second behind Draco when reaching for his wand. Before he even had a chance to mutter a curse, he was thrown back, crashing into a table sitting by the Great Hall's entrance. 

            He muttered a curse under his breath.

            Malfoy, started losing focus on the surrounding world, and began to sway. Words became jumbled thoughts, nothing, made sense. Suddenly, he was hit with a force that could only be described as a wave crashing into the side of him. That side of him went completely numb. Again the pain crashed into his other side, now he was completely numb. Oblivious to his surroundings, he never felt himself being hauled to the Hospital wing.

*** 

            Harry told the tale of his little adventure, to the Gryffindor table, providing them with sidesplitting laughter and free entertainment. He told them of Malfoy's look of astonishment when Harry's curse hit him. Hermione was torn between scalding Harry about the way he was acting, for that was no way for a Prefect to act, and the admiring of somebody finally making Malfoy shut up, even though it was just for a short period of time. Ginny on the other hand was wondering about what curse Harry could have learned to numb all of Malfoy's body. Ron was too busy heaping his plate with seconds to wonder about anything.

*** 

            Ivan Lehnor, who to his students, was known as the most normal DADA that they ever had, was waiting patiently for his letter to come. He sat by his window in his office, preparing Monday's lesson for his fifth years. The letter he was expecting was from Sirius. A tapping at the window came to his attention. He opened it, and a small owl flew in. It landed on his desk, dropped the letter and promptly flew out. 

            Professor Lehnor turned to the letter. He quickly opened it.

            _Ivan, _

_                        Remus and I are expecting you to keep an eye on Harry when we can't. For we fear something bad is going to happen. We haven't told Harry anything about you. That is your job. Please refrain from telling him anything about James though, for that history is coming into play later, and we need him ready._

_                                                                        Sirius_

**TBC..**

**Special Thanks to:**

**Blue Eyes: **Oh, I'm sure that's going to happen in the future, but it is only a matter of when.

**Irina Black: **Thank-you for reviewing!

**Angie Morse: **Ta Da! Magic- As you can see, chapter 6! Thanks for reviewing!

**TigerLily: **The teacher, as you can see, knows James from school. But how? You'll see. The powder that Harry received on his birthday will come into play later on. If I tell you, it'll ruin the surprise and suspense, do you really want that?

**Dani L. Servo: **Thank-you for reviewing! ****

A/N: I was about to upload this chapter when I decided to add one more thing. I need a beta! Anyone willing? I'm getting a little busy, so re-reading is getting a little in the way and is taking up extra time. In the position I'm in, time is essential. So if you're willing, please review and specify whether or not you'd like to be my beta! Thanks.

**Chapter 7 will be up on Tuesday or Wednesday! Danke!  **


	7. Qudditch Trials

**A/N: **My lovely readers, the reason I write. Alas, another chapter is here. I only write for you! So here is it, not such a **long **awaited chapter, more like **short** waited. Please applaud for Angie, for without her, this would have taken even longer, extremely long, because, well, spelling and I have a hard time getting along. We just never agree. But, we're going through counseling right now. But anyway, I give you thus. **Remember** Read and **Review**!

**Chapter 7:**

**~Quidditch Trials~ **

Harry walked down to the pitch the early October morning expecting to have a regular Quidditch practice. Expectations often fall short. 

The lake glistened orange and red, twinkling from the rays of the sun. Birds flew overhead, singing their songs of morning. The Forbidden Forest loomed ahead of him, dark and mysterious. The Quidditch pitch ahead of him stood out in all its green glory, much different from the last year's hedge decorations. 

Anger coursed through his veins, remembering the previous year's fanatics. The ridiculous competition to get killed just didn't seem to strike his fancy this year. However tempting getting chased by dragons, almost drowning with the mermaids and getting severely hurt by many creatures not even known to most of mankind was, Harry would rather stay steady on his own two feet this year, or at the very least, on his broom. The harder he tried to forget about Cedric, the more his face floated in his nightmares, surrounded by gleaming green light and high trilling laughter. 

Hopping onto his broom to clear the many thoughts that emerged in his head, Harry flew around the pitch circling higher and higher, waiting for the team and the reserves to come down to the pitch. 

Rapidly, he dived. Straight down towards the pitch, the green of the grass came closer and closer until there was only 3 feet between him and the hard ground. He pulled up. Hovering only a few feet from the ground, Harry flew around the pitch, when, out of nowhere, something glistening caught his eye.

Harry, being the curious person that he was, and with all the eccentric things going on, decided to check out what it was. The glistening object was long, with a slight curve in it. The handle was black, with a covered metal handle overtop. It was a sword. Whatever the reason was for a sword to be laying in the middle of the pitch, Harry didn't know. He floated a few feet above it. Then he gently reached down and picked it up. It was a fair weight, not so heavy that Harry couldn't pick it up, but Harry could name a few things that were lighter. Such as himself. 

He landed on the ground, standing up straight, and he brandished the sword. It seemed to fit nicely in his hand, as if molded for it. Knowing that in the wizarding world, there was very rarely a thing called coincidence, he looked around, foolishly in a way, as if he expected to see someone who might have dropped it. 

Slightly scared by its immediate appearance, he placed it back down. Probably the only words of good advice, if you called it that, he received from the Dursleys came floating back into his mind.

_Don't trust anything._

But, upon deeper thought, Harry realized that if he indeed followed that advice, how would he know if he could even trust his friends. Then thinking deeper still, if he couldn't trust his friends, whom could he trust? Once he heard that trust was like a crystal vase, once it was broken, it was broken forever. Thinking back to the times when Ron let his jealousy get the best of him, that vase was almost broken, caught before it hit the floor, either that or Ron was very good at repairing charms. He reached down towards the sword again, holding it firmly in his left hand.

With his Firebolt in one hand and the sword in the other, he made his way over to the bundle of robes on the sideline of pitch. When he reached his robes, he sat down, studying the sword with apparent fascination. It gleamed as it battled with the sunlight.

Numerous questions flooded his brain, one obvious one stood out. 'How'd it get here?'

When voices behind him came dangerously close, he slipped the sword under his robes. He didn't feel like sharing his little secret with anyone at the moment. He stood up, broom in hand. Standing there was his team, the regular players and the reserves. He clapped his hands to get everybody's attention.

"Okay, as you can all see, this is our Quidditch team-" He was interrupted by whoops and catcalls from the Weasley twins. When he looked at them, they smiled sheepishly with mischievous looks in their eyes. Harry started pacing. 

"I plan on having the best team this year. And since we are, without a doubt," he paused, applause coming from the group of people standing in front of him. "The best team in this league, I see no reason why we won't win the Quidditch Cup yet again." 

He kicked off on his broom, hovering over his teammates. "Regular players over there," he pointed to the left goalposts "And reserves over there." He pointed to the right goalposts.

As the groups flew to each respective goalpost, Harry went down to the ground and opened the Quidditch box. Inside it was the Quaffle, resting peacefully in its place. The two Bludgers were straining with great extent to escape the binding that held them there. Harry muttered a spell under his breath.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

The box raised in the air, following Harry as he flew over to the Reserves side.

Floating before him was the reserves. In a group, he saw Ginny, Seamus and Dennis, the Chasers. To the left of the hovered Dean and Jen, the two Beaters, during scrimmages, who was actually was able to hit the Bludger and send it in the other direction. Sarah MacDonald was with them too, even though she tried out for a Chaser position, Harry thought her better suited in as a Keeper. But, to the left of this talented group, almost as if he thought he was above the rest of the team, was Ciaran.

It was completely obvious that he would get the Seeker position, for he beat out the competition by far, but his attitude was lacking something to be desired. He talked only if manners made it necessary. Other than that, his black eyes followed Harry wherever he went. A strange one, he was.

Even as Harry handed out the clubs to Dean and Jen, gave advice to the Chasers, and gave them all a pep talk, Ciaran's eyes followed him. Glistening with a mischievous gleam and a sneer pulled up at the corner of his mouth, his eyes penetrated into Harry, quiet wishes in his mind.

Harry flew back to the left goalposts, thoughts shooting through his mind. Maybe it was the sword, Ciaran, or the fact that, well, he was in charge of Gryffindor's Quidditch team. When he reached his destination, he surveyed his team. To the right were Katie, Angelina and Alicia; to the left of them were the Weasley twins, and to the left of them was Ron.

He looked unusually pale, perhaps it was from the height elevation, or maybe it was just the jittery feeling twisting and swirling in his stomach. As Harry looked over at him, he noticed that Ron looked like he was sick. Literally. Harry went to Ron.

"You don't look too well." Harry commented.

"Hmm, wonder why. Maybe because I'm about to play a game where it is extremely probable that I will receive a, erm, what's that word again, serious injury? And we all know how tame George and Fred are." Ron said this half jokingly.

"Ron," Harry said reassuringly, "I've played Quidditch for four years, well, technically three, and I'm still in one piece, besides, this is just a scrimmage, a practice."

"But Fred and George! Oh fine. If anything happens, I'm blaming you." With that, he flew to the goalpost.

Harry turned to the rest of the team. "Okay, I'm asking you to go easy on them, it's their first time play-"

Fred and George's loud, annoying, whining voices interrupted him. "Aw, that's no fun."

"Can't we just play a little bit rough?" George's hands displayed how much a little bit was, his and Harry's opinion of little were few and far between. 

"No."

"Please." George said this in earnest, as if a child pleading for a sweet. 

Harry gave him a silencing look, which made George quickly change his mind and he joined his brother at the goal posts.

Harry looked at the rest of the team floating there. "Let's play."

He whistled loudly and nodded towards the other side of the pitch, he turned around, releasing the Bludgers and taking the snitch in his hand. 

"Wingardium descendatis."

He lowered the Quidditch box to the ground.

He flew to the center of the pitch, meeting Ciaran there; they flew around each other, not taking their eyes off the snitch or from the opposing member. Harry released his hold on the snitch. 

It buzzed around them, shot through the middle, parting the space between the two Seekers. Then, it disappeared out of sight. 

The game began.

Dennis quickly got towards Ron's goal, but was stopped by Alicia, who was conveniently passing by him. She threw it to Angelina, who threw it to Katie, who scored the first goal of the game. Ginny retrieved the Quaffle, soaring above everyone else. She swirled between Katie and Alicia, passing it rapidly to Dennis. He flew above the group and dropped it down to Seamus. Seamus flew up between Ron and scored the first goal for the Reserves.

The game flipped back and forth for quite a while, Harry and Ciaran looking for the snitch above the crowd. A flicker to the left of them, they both saw it at the same time. Harry flashed in that direction, Ciaran just a second behind him. Ciaran gave him a cold smile as he looked back. 

Ciaran's Nimbus Two-thousand and one was not nearly as good as Harry's Firebolt, but he was just as good a flyer. He was even with Harry as they turned the corner of the pitch following the snitch. The snitch dropped, straight down towards the hard, green earth. Harry and Ciaran were right behind it. The ground came closer and closer, the snitch still directly in front of them. Suddenly it leveled out, a good five feet above the ground. Harry pulled up, Ciaran, was already horizontal with the earth. Harry zoomed ahead of him, with as much force as stretched elastic has when it is released. His hand reached out, grabbing the snitch, just before Ciaran's hand brushed it. The game was finished; the regular team had won, but just. The final score was a close game, the regular team 330, and the reserves 170. It was an even game before Harry had caught the snitch.

As everyone joined on the ground, Harry couldn't have been more impressed with the teams' effort. They had kept the opponent quite at bay, for after all, it was the reserves first time. Harry looked up; the sun was directly overhead.

"Good game everybody. Now, I think we all deserve to eat." The team all muttered their agreement, for everyone just wanted to shower and eat until they couldn't manage no more.

*** 

Harry walked into the Great Hall, feeling quite tired, even after the refreshing shower he had, and the delicious lunch he was about to have. He dragged himself towards Hermione and Ron, who seemed quite civil considering the amount of arguments they go through daily. He plopped down into his seat. His head was sagging on his shoulders, and exhaustion was evident on his face. He had certainly looked better at times in his life than he did now. Ron and Hermione were completely oblivious to their friend's despair. They continually chattered on to Harry, successfully handling a one-sided conversation, not noticing Harry's reluctance to talk. He had a lot on his mind, every thought seemed just as importance as the next: the sword, Quidditch, the amulet, and, of course, Ginny. Whether one was actually more important then the other, Harry couldn't decipher at the moment.

"Oi, Potter." A familiar voice drawled.

Harry sighed, burying his head in his hands. He did not feel like dealing with Malfoy's ego at the moment.

"Potter, I was talking to you." Malfoy's voice drew nearer. He came to a stop right behind Harry's back. 

"Yes, I know that," He turned around to face Malfoy. He made himself smile sweetly. "I just didn't feel like wasting this precious air on you."

Malfoy sneered at him, clearly not remembering their last encounter. He twirled his wand between his fingers as if it was a baton. His eyes flashed with red again, anger showing within their depths.

"Care for a rematch?"

"No, not really, thanks though. Maybe another time?" Harry turned around back to Ron and Hermione.

Behind him, laughter and snickers were floating on the air, but instead of being directed at him, they were directed at Malfoy. Ron's eyes suddenly went wide, staring at Malfoy. Harry turned around to see Malfoy's wand pointing at him, directly between the eyes.

"Malfoy, what don't you understand, I don't feel like wasting my time on you."

Malfoy smiled, devoid of any humor or amusement, but a hard grin.

"You see Potter, I find time spent on you to be time well wasted." His eyes flashed with red again, but staying the blooded color. Electricity flashed in them, anger reflecting the crazed look. 

Harry slowly pulled himself to his feet. Anger boiled through his veins. Buried feelings were now arising; anger and power flowed through him. 

"Scared Potter?" Reflecting on their first duel.

"You wish."

He brought his wand up fast, a blur to the unaided eye. He muttered a banishing charm, sending tables flying back; yelps came from students not quick enough to get out of the way.

"Flamma Circilas!"

A circle of flames sprouted up around them. Before either of them got the chance to curse one another, a voice raised above their own. 

"Expelliarmus!" 

Professor Lehnor's voice was loud and clear. Both Harry and Malfoy were flown back over the flames and landed in a heap. Their wands rolled over the floor and rested at Professor Lehnor's feet.

"I think both of you have had enough time playing 'better wizard'." he said, amusement flashing through the stern look on his face. "10 points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin." With that, he gave the wands back to the rightful owner and left the Great Hall, a deafening silence following in his place.

*** 

It was 8 o'clock when Ginny sat upon her four-poster bed, thinking about the day. When she had found out that she made the Quidditch team, she had been ecstatic for two reasons. One, she would be on the Quidditch team, obviously, but the other was that she would be able to spend more time with Harry. Ever since their conversation about Sirius, she had thought of many questions that had been left unanswered. But being back in school hardly left an abundance of time for talking, well, at least not about the things she wanted to talk about. A knock on the dorms door interrupted her thoughts. 

"Come in," she called out, hoping the person could hear her. The person evidently had heard her, and opened her door. 

He stood there, black hair sticking up, weariness on his face. Pale green eyes looked at her, exhaustion creasing his once dynamic emerald orbs.

He walked over to her bed, sat on the end and looked at her.

"Hey Ginny. I was just thinking and I was wondering, do you want to talk?" Harry asked.

She at first smiled a timid grin, not wanting to show how eager she was. She pulled her knees up to her chest, giving him room to sit down more comfortably. He laid back, his now long legs hanging over the end. Drowsiness settling over him and Ginny both after such a long day, both tried to stay focused on the task of talking. Before either of them realized it, they both closed their eyes, and fell asleep. Neither of them had noticed yet, but Harry's medallion had changed. 

TBC….

Special Thanks to:

IceChick1205- I'm sorry it took so long, but at long last, here it is.

Shdurrani- I plan to. Thanks for reviewing.

Blue Eyes- All will be told in due time, if I told you, what fun would that be?

TigerLily- Mysterious thing will pop up all over the place. Where would we be without that?

CyqnusCrux- Yes, your review was quite interesting, and helpful. Noble Harry isn't lasting long.

Angie Morse- What can I say to you, but hmm, Thank You!

IloveRupert13- Thanks for your many reviews. Let me tell you, that conflict is not going to be little for much longer.

Happy Reading.   
  
  
  



	8. Decisions

**A/N: You have my greatest apologies, I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. For this chapter, I had some er, inspiration, from certain reviewer. You know who you are. Please thank Angie, because without her, it would indeed have taken longer still. Remember, Read and Review.**

**Chapter 8:**

**~ Differences ~**

Harry slowly moved his head, burrowing it deeper into the pillow where it lay. He was extremely comfortable. A soft glow of light seeped through the curtains surrounding his bed, creating a magical effect on the red bedspread. The morning birds sang, and a gentle breeze ruffled the once calm curtains. He opened his eyes to a slit, just seeing the satiny, red material, of the drapes. He closed his eyes, not wanting to get up. It was a Sunday, why should he get up at dawn?

Ginny sleepily brought her hand to her face, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. Her bed was unusually comfortable. She pulled the blankets up around he chin. Her feet knocked something. Not remembering the end of her bed to be so close, she sat up, to inspect what had denied her feet space. Glancing at the foot of her bed, she saw a lump of her blankets. Frowning, she tried to push them out of her way.

Harry felt something tugging at his blanket, quietly muttering, he tried to get back to sleep. The tugging continued.

"Ron, let me go back to sleep." He mumbled.

The bed went completely silent. No mumbling occurred, not a blanket rustled, all breathing paused.

Ginny slowly pulled back the top layer of blankets. Looking at her was a boy, not any boy, but a boy with sparkling emerald eyes, and completely bed rustled hair. A boy who stared back at her, silently, a blush rose to her cheeks, his doing the same. Minutes passed, neither breaking eye contact with the other. Suddenly, Ginny gently pulled back her curtain. Glancing out she saw her friends sleeping bundles on each respective bed. 

"Oh god."

Her friend Jen must have evidently been awake. She glanced over at Ginny when she had heard her speak

"Is something wrong Gin?" Jen asked, concern flooding her voice. 

"No, nothing at all." Ginny somehow managed to squeak out. "Just a nightmare, I'll try to go back to sleep."

Jen pulled herself into a sitting position. "Not me, I'm going to get ready for the day." She walked into the connecting bathroom, shutting the door.

Ginny quickly closed the curtain, glancing back at Harry.

"You have to get out of here!" She hissed urgently. 

Harry gaped at her, only starting to register what was actually happening. He had woken up from that very pleasant sleep in Ginny Weasley's bed. Oh god, Ron was going to kill him, and Fred and George were going to help. He could look forward to a slow and painful death. This wasn't going to be fun.

"Umm, I-I g-guess I sh-should g-go?" He managed to stutter. 

Ginny just glared at him.

He slowly got to his feet, not wanting to disturb the sleeping girls. Just as he was about to reach the door, the door to the bathroom opened and Jen walked out, toothbrush in hand, waving it around to prove her point.

"Do you think Dean likes me, 'cause they way he's act-," She saw Harry, helplessly standing at the door. "Holy sh-"

She was cut off by Ginny, who interrupted by saying, 

"Jen, shh, please be quiet, I don't want anyone jumping to conclusions."

Jen, it seemed, had already jumped to conclusions. 

"You guys are together?" she hissed. "You're sleeping together?"

"What!?" Harry was brought out of his dazed confusion. "No! It was a accident."

Jen smirked. "Sure it was."

An even redder blush rose to Harry cheeks as he thought about what Jen had said.

Ginny sighed, clearly aggravated with the present situation.

"Harry just go." Harry looked at Ginny one last time before leaving. When he closed the door behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least nobody else knew besides Jen.

And maybe Hermione, Hermione walked by him, down the hall to her room. She paused, slowly turning around, clad only in her nightgown and fuzzy slippers.

"Harry!" she whispered. "What are you doing in the girls dormitory?"

It seemed her reputation as the smartest girl in the fifth years class, seemed to be delayed. Then, the wheels started turning in her head as she noticed whose room he had came out of.

"Ginny!" she gasped. "You and Ginny? I knew you were friends and everything, but I didn't think it was going this far-" Hermione continued to babble on about the dangers, how she didn't expect this to happen, and how Ron would react.

"Hermione, you can't tell Ron." Harry pleaded. "Please."

"Why shouldn't I?" she huffed. "He has a right to know."

"But were not sleeping together! We just slept together. Not in the way you're thinking."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, clearly amused and appalled with the current predicament. 

"Please." He pleaded with her one last time.

She sighed, wanting to promise Harry that she wouldn't tell Ron, but feeling guilty that if Ron found out later, that she knew the whole time.

"Maybe. It depends what happens after this." Harry looked incredibly relieved, for 'maybe' was better then 'no'.

She gave out one last sigh, and then walked back to her room. 

Harry snuck out of the girls' dormitory, across the hallway overlooking the common room and into the boys' dormitory. He slowly crept back into his room and fell onto his bed with a great sigh of relief.

He heard rustling in the bed next to him. The curtains of his bed to the left of him opened, and a red haired boy stuck his head through. 

"How was your sleep?" asked Ron.

*** 

Three weeks passed after the sleeping incident, and Ron still knew nothing of it. Ginny must have bribed Jen somehow, and Hermione resorted to giving Harry and Ginny disapproving looks, but Ron was still none the wiser. As for Harry and Ginny, they had resolved it all by telling themselves that it was all an accident. It would never happen again, they thought.

He walked down to the Great Hall for dinner. He seemed to have a growing appetite with all the power he was in the midst of receiving. When he arrived, he noticed the Gryffindor table laughing hysterically. Whatever was so funny, it seemed he was about to find out.

He sat down in between Ginny and Fred, George being opposite to him. They seemed hardly able of communication they were laughing so hard. 

"What's so funny?" He asked, stating the obvious. This, it seemed, only made them laugh harder. 

George was the first one to catch his breath. He put on an incredibly innocent face that must have taken hours of practice.

"How were we supposed to know that," he paused, laughter coming over him again. "That hot sauce on ice cream would upset people stomachs?" Once he said this, Harry glanced around, to find the victims.

Half the Slytherin table was doubled over, clutching their stomachs, moaning.

Harry laughed, seeing Malfoy among the countless victims.

He grinned at the twins.

"I couldn't have done better myself."

*** 

Later on, as Harry sat in his empty dorm room, upon his four-poster bed with the mysterious sword in his lap, he rubbed his temples, trying to relive a very aggressive headache. Ever since that fateful night where he had fallen asleep in Ginny Weasley's bed, it seemed he could do nothing to rid his mind of her. That wasn't a bad thing, technically. He sighed, trying to figure out why he had found this sword. In all his life, he had only seen three swords. The one in The Chamber of Secrets, the one Dumbledore owned, and this one that now laid upon his lap.

It was a plain sword, as swords go. The curved blade shimmered in the light, and the black handle fit perfectly in his closed palm. But wherever in the world it had come from, Harry was still clueless. He brandished it, the sun making patterns of the wall. As he swished it around, he noticed a carving at the tip of it. A snake followed the edge of the blade. He ran his hand across the snake, carefully trying not to lose a finger in the process. 

When the moment his hand brushed across the carven snake, a bolt of electricity rushed through him. He dropped the sword with a clatter. A burning sensation at the tips of his fingers made himself yelp. He looked at the pads of his fingertips. Where there would have been fingerprints, was a smooth circle of skin. 

He looked at the once awed sword with disgust. It seemed to be a thing of evil. What really irked him was that, even when he didn't ask for something to become involved in his life, it just seemed to make things more complicated. 

He took a sheet off his bed, wrapping it around his now burned hand. With this hand, he gently picked up the sword that was lying on the ground. He shoved it under his mattress, wishing it to disappear. He sat back on his bed, shaking slightly. Wherever that sword had come from, it wasn't good. It frightened him, who knew what source of magic it contained. 

He checked to see if you could notice it from the door, from where he placed it under the mattress. When he convinced himself he couldn't, he walked down the stairs to the common room.

Seeing Ron and Hermione on the couch, with Ginny on the floor in front of them, he walked up and plopped down next to Ginny. Noticing that Ron and Hermione seemed to be sitting a little closer then usual, closer then what would have been expected. Saying that they were plastered together would not have been far from the truth. He looked at Ginny questionably. She shrugged, as if to say 'How should I know?'

He lay down on the floor, hands crossed behind his head. He was suddenly extremely tired. Ginny lay next to him, visibly drained as well. About to drift off, he heard a noise the right of him. He lazily peered through his eyelashes, not really caring what was causing the sudden commotion. 

Standing there was Ciaran, and with him, was Malfoy. 

Harry stood up quickly, reaching for his wand. If there was going to be action with Malfoy, he unusually felt like being a part of it. 

"Potter." Malfoy sneered.

"Ahh, Malfoy. What a pleasant surprise. I hoped you'd know that tea started later, not now." He sighed in false frustration. "I was hoping to have dollies, now it's all ruined."

Malfoy just stared, eyes blank. Harry swished his wand out in front of him, back and forth, watching glistening sparkles of magic fall to the floor. Malfoy's eyes hardened, narrowing on the now swishing wand.

"So, Malfoy. Feel like proving yourself? 'Cause really, I'm in need of a laugh." Harry said evilly. 

Everyone in the common room was silent. They backed away, forming a silent circle around the two wand holders. Ginny was standing to the left of him, hand tucked away in her pocket. Harry had a suspicion it was clutching her wand. He gave her a small nod, telling her that if she wanted to step in, he wouldn't stop her.

Malfoy grinned that hard grin of his, Ciaran behind him. It seemed to Harry that Malfoy had found another follower. 

"Demtoria!" Harry shouted, his voice echoing in the room.

The lights in the room vanquished. A gloom settled over it, darkness rising from the corners to engulf the room. Malfoy seemed to have a hard time standing straight. He clutched his stomach; he raised his head, again his once cold eyes flashed with a scarlet colour. They seemed to shimmer from their depths. He smiled, a crooked smile at that. Once his eyes met Harry, Harry felt a force fly through him, power surging through his veins. It seemed to come from deep within him, a power that was once kept guarded. 

He felt angry, frustrated and dominant all at once. He raised his wand, levelly meeting with Malfoy's. 

"Expelliarmus!" They both cried at the same time.

The power of their selves and their wands met, ricocheting magic in every direction. Everyone ducked, covering his or her head. A spark flew into Ginny; she fell down in a faint. A spark also flew into Harry. He felt the magic being absorbed into him. 

Malfoy looked sapped, as if all his magic had been sucked out of him. He walked to the portrait hole, barely able to stand up properly. He gave one final sneer at Harry and disappeared. 

Harry, shaken back to reality, noticed Ginny on the floor next to him. He went to his knees, gathering her head onto his lap. Hermione and Ron came, right beside him. 

Harry rocked back and forth, humming a familiar tune under his breath. He brushed Ginny's hair back from her face, whispering comforting words. 

Ginny shook a little, colour coming back into her face. Her eyelids moved, slowly opening. She peered through her eyes to see the-boy-who-Lived, staring back at her. His eyed glistened, as if trying to hold back tears.

"Are you alright?" He whispered.

She nodded. "I just feel a little different, light headed." 

"That's understandable, you were out cold."

Her head was still positioned in his lap, but they were silent, their eyes talking beyond all comprehension of the human language, who knew what messages they were exchanging.

"Harry?" Ginny suddenly asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"You promised nothing was going to happen to me this year."

He frowned, "I remember."

"You were wrong."

TBC….

**Thanks to:**

**Shdurrani:** As you can see, Malfoy seems to have problems keeping himself out of trouble. Will he ever learn? I'm thinking, no.

**Honey666: **As of Chapter 7, I did have a beta's help. I plan to revise the first 6 chapters, but I need to find the time. Thanks for reviewing.

**evillalmanotlamma(frogs: **I plan too.

**Geor-sama: **Hmm, what can I say to you? Thanks for the review/inspiration? You know you're thanked. *smiles*

**Ian: **I plan on continuing. Thanks for reviewing.

**Tigerlily: **Malfoy is becoming creepy, isn't he? Beware; this is just the tip of the iceberg.

**Cyqnus Crux: **Malfoy's eye flashing? Can Harry just see it? Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough.

**Little Ear, Big Ear's sis: **Ack! Here's another chapter. Sorry I made you experience a terrible moment. Forgive me?

**Blue Eyes: **sorry about that.... thank you...... I will...... thank you again...... I promise I will.

**Amanda: **If I told you, I'd have to kill you. I don't have time to do that, plus, I really don't feel like facing a murder charge right now, so you're going to have to wait. Sorry about that.

**Moonygirl13: **Thank you so much! A favourite story, believe me, I feel honored. Thanks for reviewing.

**IceChick1205: **Malfoy, the question of the hour. But as I told **Amanda**, I really don't want to have to kill you, It would ruin 

my perfect record. As with Harry's medallion, expect more news about it later.


	9. Broken Promises

**Chapter 9:**

**~ Broken Promises ~**

"What?"                      

Ginny stared at his face, memorizing it. "You promised nothing would happen to me this year." She repeated. 

"I know, what's happened?" 

She stared at him, her eyes exposed to his, but losing focus. Her eyes rolled back, showing the whites of her eyeball.  "It's coming." 

She collapsed, all her weight falling on Harry's hands. Ron rushed forward, clearly upset and unstable with the condition his only sister was in. 

"What did you do to her?" He growled at Harry. 

"I didn't do anything! Come on; let's get her to Madam Pomfrey." 

Ron looked at Harry, anger showing in his face. 

"Actually, I think you did enough harm for one day." He took Ginny out of Harry's arms. Fred and George came over to help him; they also didn't seem to have the greatest regards for Harry at the moment. 

"Ron, I swear I didn't do anything." Harry insisted. 

"Bullocks. You were supposed to watch over her, we trusted you." George said, all humor gone from his voice. "Whatever Malfoy did to her, you're to blame." 

Harry looked around, searching for someone to side with him. All he received were looks of horror, and disgust, from the surrounding Gryffindor's. He looked towards Hermione, hoping for even a glimpse of understanding. She looked at him almost as if she was scared of him. 

The Weasley brothers carried their sister out the portrait hole, destined for the Hospital wing. As they left, Professor McGonagall came in. 

"What's this racket all about?" She surveyed the room. Seeing Harry, kneeling on the floor, she sighed. "Potter, come with me." 

Harry blinding got up, feeling like death had swept by him. He followed her out of the common room and into the hall. She walked briskly in front of him, not waiting for an answer or response. She led him down to a familiar hallway, guarded by a familiar gargoyle. 

"Sugar Quill." The gargoyle sprang to life, revealing an entranceway. She walked through it, Harry still following her mechanically. 

Finally, she spoke. 

"Professor Dumbledore told me of this, um, added stress that you're unfortunately burdened with. He also mentioned that if I noticed anything strange going on, I should bring you to him. And from what I just saw-" she broke off, arriving at the door. She opened it, gesturing Harry inside. 

Harry walked into the circular office, noticing Fawkes on the left of the room, peacefully sleeping on his platform. Directly in front of him was a weary headmaster. Dumbledore smiled wearily at Harry, gesturing him to take a seat. Harry plopped down, his head suddenly seeming a lot heavier. 

"Tea?" Harry looked up, a tray in front of him. He nodded gratefully, taking a cup, adding some cream. 

"Is there anything you would like to tell me Harry?" Dumbledore quietly questioned. Harry sighed, feeling unbearably tired from all the added stress.  "Anything at all." 

For a moment, Harry felt like he was twelve again. Remembering the Polyjuice potion, the basilisk, Moaning Myrtle and the spiders. He remembered a night like this too, when Dumbledore had asked the very same question. He looked at Dumbledore, grief and sadness radiating from him. 

"Actually there is. Well, sir, you remember how I have the medallion?" Dumbledore nodded. "Well, now I'm feeling tired all the time. And when Gryffindor had their Quidditch practice, I found a sword." He paused, wanting to see how Dumbledore would take this news. 

"Yes, Harry, go on." 

"Well, you see, on this sword, there is a snake engraved into the end of it, when I touched it, I burnt my hand." He showed Dumbledore the circles of burned flesh on his fingertips. "After it did that, I went down to the common room, and Malfoy was there." 

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "Why was Mr. Malfoy in your common room?" 

"He's friends with Ciaran, that new exchange student."

"I see."

"Is that even allowed professor?" 

"If Mr. Malfoy has indeed made a new friend, there is nothing we can do to stop him from being invited into the Gryffindor tower. I will have a talk with Ciaran, but I can't promise anything. Please continue."

"So anyways, Malfoy was there, and since that, er, duel we had in the Great Hall –" he paused, not wanting to get into trouble. 

Dumbledore just nodded. "Professor Lehnor told me about that. Please continue." 

"Well, I felt really angry all of a sudden, as if I couldn't control my anger. I felt the new power inside me, and well, I could help it." 

Dumbledore sighed, taking off his spectacles, and rubbing his temples. "I feared something like this would happen. Now, could you please tell me what happened to Miss. Weasley?" 

Harry continued. "Well, when Malfoy and I were fighting, the power in our wands connected, sort of like with Voldemort last year, there was a beam of energy, and then sparks began flying everywhere. Ginny was hit with one. So was I, but I felt stronger when it did, Ginny just fainted. Afterwards, Malfoy looked completely drained and he left. Ginny woke up, staring at me, and then she said something." 

"What did she say?" 

"It's coming."

"I see…" 

"Professor, what does this mean?" 

"I am not exactly sure." 

"Professor?" 

"Yes?" 

"They were all scared of me." 

"Who were?" 

"Everybody in the Gryffindor common room. Ron hates me now, for something I didn't do." Again Harry had the feeling like he was back in his second year, when everyone thought he was the heir of Slytherin. At least then though, he had the support of Ron and Hermione. Now he had nobody.

"Any thing else?"

"Not now." Harry put his elbows on his knees, resting there. 

"Harry, can I please see the amulet?" Harry looked up, startled with the change of subject. 

He came up to Dumbledore, taking the amulet out from underneath his shirt. Appearing in the lions' eye was a red gem. Inside it, a fire swirled around. Dumbledore touched the gem, expecting to get burned. Instead the fire glowed on, continuingly burning a brilliant glow of scarlet. 

"Remember that book I gave you?" He asked. 

"Er, the textbook?" Harry said. 

"Yes, maybe it's time you read it." 

*** 

Harry sat upon his bed the next day. Taking all possible time to read the book he was given, he decided to skip lunch and find out what exactly was going on. The large textbook sat in his lap, flipped to a page with the medallion on a diagram. On the diagram, it showed a medallion with the exact same design as Harry's except it was missing the gem. He read the portion of text underneath. 

            _The lion's influence can be quite controlling. The wearer can experience loss of control; such as anger management. Thus, if the wearer can't suppress their anger, the medallion will take over. This means all thought and action will not be of the wearer but of the lion. Godric Gryffindor made this medallion for only the strong-minded. Any other information has not been found. _

Harry read and re-read this section. It just seemed to repeat it self. Thinking that the author of the book was just making fun of him, he shut it. As it closed, a picture on one of its pages caught his eye. He opened the book again, turning to that page. On it was a sword. Two actually. One was the one that Dumbledore showed him the first night he arrived at Hogwarts, the other, the one that bothered Harry the most, was the sword he had found on the Quidditch pitch. Searching the page for any clues about it, he saw a hastily scribbled section in between the swords; it looked as if they decided to add it just after they finished the book. It read: 

            _The swords of Gryffindor and Slytherin were made from the same metal. Also, they had the same creator. Although Godric and Salazar were considered rivals, they decided to make swords that match each other's. The reason why _

The rest was cut off. It seemed to have been erased. Harry rubbed on the spot; half hoping that he would uncover the rest of the paragraph. But, as he expected, he didn't. 

He heard footsteps approaching. Quickly, he shoved the sword under his bed, the textbook along with it. Ron walked into the room. He glared at Harry, walking to his bed. 

"You're going to be late for DADA." With that said, Ron gathered his textbooks, and left.__

He muttered under his breath, angry with Ron, for Ron being angry with him. He grabbed his textbooks and followed him out of the room. When he caught up to Ron at the bottom of the stairs, he tapped him on the shoulder, quite hard, to get his attention. Ron turned around, and when he saw who disturbed him, he went back to what he was doing. 

"Ron, wait!" He exclaimed. 

"Why?" Ron simply stated. "My sister is in the Hospital wing, and it's because of you." 

"Ron, I didn't do anything." Harry tried to explain. 

"Yes, you did. I saw you nod at Ginny, practically inviting her into the fight. You know she would have helped you, because as much as I hate to admit it, she fancies you." He said angrily. 

"I didn't want her to get hurt." 

"Well, she did. There is nothing you can do about it now." He said this with a note of finality in his voice, closing the subject.

He left through the portrait hole. 

Harry almost growled in frustration, scaring the group of first year girls next to him. 

*** 

When he arrived in DADA, almost ten minutes late, he quickly apologized to Professor Lehnor, who was currently discussing the mating habits of dragons, and sat, in his present seat, next to Seamus Finnigan. He muttered a hello to Seamus, and buried his nose into his book. It was a book of curses, and their counter curses, which he had bought in Diagon Alley over the summer. If he was going to have Malfoy on his back, he wanted to be prepared. 

As Professor Lehnor lectured on about dragons, the feeding habits, and the way that they lived, Harry continued to absorb more information about dueling and attacks he could use. 

As soon as class was over, he raced out of the classroom, almost running over Neville, and hurried to the Hospital Wing. Ginny laid upon a bed, near the end of the room, a curtain slightly hiding her sleeping figure. He walked up to her bed and sat in the stool by the bedside. He took her hand into his, marveling at the smallness of it. He watched her breath, in and out, willing her to wake up. She must have sensed his thoughts, because a few moments later, her eyes met his. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. 

Harry reached for a glass of water, hoping that was what she wanted. She sat up, nodding gratefully. Once that glass and another was gulped down, she was finally able to talk to him. 

"Thanks." She said. 

"No problem." He smiled, grateful that she wasn't mad at him, like everyone else.

Suddenly, she looked scared. "Harry, it's coming." 

"What's coming?" He asked, not wanting to push to far. 

"The Essence of Pure Evil."

"What, Malfoy?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood. 

She glared at him. "No, something big. I don't know what, all I know that it's coming. It's coming soon."

"How do you know?"

"I'm not sure. It just came to me."

"Then how can you be positive?" He asked, only slightly believing her. 

"Because it hurt me." 

She pulled back the sleeve of her hospital gown, revealing a pink and puffy scrape; it went all the way down her arm, from her shoulder blade down to her wrist. 

He sucked in his breath, gaping at the wound. 

"Madame Pomfrey can heal it, can't see?" 

"No, she can't. She already tried." 

"Ginny, I'm so sorry." He apologized. 

"Why? You didn't do it." 

"It's my fault, everyone thinks so." 

"Do you think so?" she asked. 

"I don't know what to think." 

She smiled, despite the pain. She reached up, to touch his face. 

"It's not your fault, believe me." 

"I have no reason not to." 

"Good." 

With that, Harry lowered his face to hers. Softly brushing her lips with a kiss. 

TBC….. 

**Special Thanks to: **

**Tigerlily: As much as I am an awed and admiring fan of Ruskbyte, I think that our Malfoy's will become quite different. Malfoy, is not getting stronger necessarily, but there is something different with him, what exactly, is unmentionable. Malfoy is making new friends…. New friends give him certain advantages. **

**Blue Eyes**: * Grins * it'll happen soon enough… basically, we need to get some business underway. But I think we can expect that in the near future.

**Geor-sama**: Unfortunately, you were not my first reviewer. But I thank you all the same. * smiles *

**Darklove** : Thanks for the review. Also, glad you like the penname. 

**Honey666**: Yes, I know the weirdness of leaving a review and not knowing what to write. Thankfully you decided to review just the same. Thank-you. 

**evillalmanotlamma(frogs**: As you can see, something happened to Ginny, but what is it? I think we are about to find out.

**moneygirl13**: Hopefully this chapter made you less confused. Or more, I don't really know. Tell me what parts you need clearing up on, I'm happy to help. 


	10. Facing The Music

**A/N: **Please forgive me for the lateness of this chapter. I had problems getting this chapter to my beta, and she had a hard time receiving it. Also, I have another new beta, everybody say thank-you to both Angie and          Geor-sama. They both helped me get through this horrible thing called grammar. Since spelling and I have indeed been through counseling, we are coming to terms with each other. Or, that's at least what I'm told. Again, not every update will take this long, I hope to have the next chapter up by the weekend, but hopefully life won't ignore my plans. Thanks. Remember, Read and Review.****

**Chapter 10**

**~ Facing the Music ~ **

Again, Harry woke up in a sense of comfortableness. But later, as he thought back on it, he couldn't see why he was so comfortable. His head was resting on a metal bar that lined Ginny's bed; he could feel the coolness of it soothing his once troubled mind. His books were sitting in his lap, his legs painfully squeezed into an impossible amount of space, and his arms were stretched over his head, one hand resting in Ginny's. But when he woke up, he couldn't have been more contented. Maybe it was the fact that the sun gently shone through the windows, peaceful and relaxing, although, more than likely, it was the fact that his hand was gently held by Ginny. He raised his head, to glance at the sleeping figure on the bed. She lay there, looking quite happy. A wisp of reddish gold hair lined her freckle-dusted face. He just sat there, smiling at her. 

Slowly she started to wake up. At first it was a move of her arm, and then her eyelids started to flicker open. She turned her head. Seeing Harry there, she smiled. She looked down toward their grasped hands and grinned again. 

"Did you sleep here all night?" 

"I guess you can call it that." 

Her eyes searched his face, and suddenly she laughed. 

"What?" 

"You have a red line across your forehead." She raised her arm to trace the line that the bar had left, and then she traced the red scar that always decorated his face. 

He looked up towards his forehead, seeing a delicate finger there. He grinned; he could feel designs being drawn onto his forehead. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Having fun." 

"I can see that." 

Ginny pulled her hand back grinning, then she suddenly winced. A look of pain flashed across her face.

"What's wrong?" 

She shook her head, and then slowly pulled back the sleeve of her pajamas. The scrape was there still, looking slightly better, but still quite painful. Harry looked at her with sympathy. In a way, even after what she said to him, he felt slightly responsible. 

"I'm sorry Gin." 

She looked up at him.

"It's not your fault."

Harry sighed, shaking his head, wanting to believe her, but he still had this twinge of guilt. 

"Believe me."

"If I must."

She laughed. "I order you to…" 

He stood up and bowed, not paying attention to the sound of his books dropping to the floor. "Glad to be of service." He sat back down, taking both her hands into his. "You know, I'm probably going to be late for Charms." 

"Too bad for Professor Flitwick."

*** 

Harry did indeed arrive late for Professor Flitwick's class. Apologizing profusely for being so, Harry took his seat next to Seamus. 

"What did I miss?" he asked, trying to pay attention, but not succeeding. 

Seamus shrugged.  "Some kind of truth charm." 

Harry nodded, looking around at his classmates. All seemed only half interested with the class, making occasional notes on their own parchment. Only Hermione seemed to be truly interested as she constantly scribbled away, not bothering to look up. 

He glanced down at his own books, remembering that they were DADA books, not his Charm ones. He had rushed here after being with Ginny all night, without even bothering to go to the dormitory and change his books. But seeing that he had his book on curses from the previous night, he decided he had nothing better to do then keep reading. 

_Ductios ( d-uh-k-tea-oshus ):_

_This curse was popular in the 16-1700's. As witch-hunting was quite common at the time, Magic peoples found it amusing to curse muggles with simple, yet effective curses. This one, when said right, will make the persons' hands and feet webbed. Even though there is a counter-curse, the cured person will still have an undeniable urge to be in the water. But, be cautious, if it is said wrong, the person will be fully transformed into a duck. Fredrick the Feathered, who loved to bait muggle witch hunters with his witty sense of humor and amusing spells, used this curse almost daily. _

_Ecantiuos:  ( Ee-can-tee-o-shush ) Dark wizards in the rein of Lord Voldemort often used this complicated spell. _

Harry noticed that even written down, the Dark Lord's name was hurryingly scribbled, as if the Scribe did not want Voldemort knowing that he used his name. 

_This negative thinking curse will make the object of the wizard intentions, only be able to think the worst of everything. Thus, making them extremely vulnerable. The Dark Lord's followers would use this on their strongest opponents, in an attempt to make their weaknesses larger, and easier to penetrate. Even though this spell does have a counter-curse, and when the counter-curse has been used the victim will be back to normal, it is very hard to spot someone in this state. Someone who is indeed under this spell may appear to someone else as a simple phobic person. _

_ Harry simply let his book fall shut. His brain was busy absorbing multiple amounts of new information, thus making him tired. Finally registering that everyone else was packing up to leave for lunch, and noticing that his stomach felt like it was eating itself, he decided that it was time for him to have lunch. _

*** 

Walking into the Great Hall, his hunger pains went from bearable rumblings to him wondering if anyone else in Japan could hear the noise, due to the delicious smells wavering from the tables. From these constant rumbles, Harry remembered that he had not eaten since yesterday's lunch. Walking as fast as he could without looking crazed, he walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Dean Thomas and Ginny's friend Jen. 

Smiling at the newly made couple, he remembered the eventful, yet embarrassing morning he had awoken in Ginny Weasley's bed. A blush rising to his cheeks, he turned away from the couple, back to the platter filled heaps in front of him. Loading his plate with a little bit of everything, Harry listened with an ear to the conversations around him. What seemed to happen, strange enough was that as soon as he sat down, all conversations seemed to stop, or became hushed. 

Harry looked around, but only raised his head a little bit, not wanting to be obvious. Seeing only friends near him, he wondered why the conversations had suddenly halted. Then it hit him; probably Malfoy and his goons were probably standing behind him, wanting yet again. He sighed, turning around in his chair, expecting to see a pale-faced boy with white blond hair. Instead, an empty aisle between tables awaited him. Again, he looked around, puzzled. 

When he turned back towards his food, he noticed that the once full chairs opposite to him were now quite empty. This brainteaser that was now troubling him did not indeed seem like something to think about on an empty stomach. Harry quickly ate, wiped him mouth, and then raced out of the hall. What he did not fail to notice was, as he was leaving, the once hushed Gryffindor table was now almost noisy.  

Not glancing back, he went to go visit Ginny, wondering if she had any idea of what was going on. As he reached to hospital wing, he saw that Ron and the twins were already with her. Harry didn't really feel like getting in another tiff with them, so he hid in the shadows until they left. Ginny was facing the opposite wall, eyes closed. Harry wondered if he should leave and come back later when a voice broke through the silent room. 

"Harry, come over here, I need some good news."

Harry, startled by Ginny's voice, did as she asked. He sat down upon the edge of her bed, gently taking her hand in his. She turned her head and smiled; the one person who seemed happy to see him. 

"I guess I should get someone else if you really want good news." 

She looked at him questioningly. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Has anyone been acting weird around you lately?" 

"Well, since I was cooped up in here since yesterday, and the only people to visit me were you, my brothers, Hermione, and Jen, and all of you have been acting like I'm about to break, I really wouldn't know." She smiled wryly, a corner of her mouth tucked in to a smirk. "By now you should know I'm not one to easily break." 

Now it was Harry's turn to look confused. 

"What do you mean?"  

Ginny smiled. "This summer, we were playing Quidditch in the apple orchard, when I, being distracted, flew into an apple tree. I fell 12 feet. It hurt." She grinned. "It really did. But strangely enough, I was in one piece." 

Harry, knowing what it feels like to fall into, and out of, a tree, squeezed her hand sympathetically. 

"I know what that feels like. Ouch."

Still wondering if she knew anything, but deciding to drop the subject, Harry took her hand in both of his and pretended to study it carefully, as if to read her fortune. She laughed, knowing what he was going to do.

"Have you studied Palmistry in Divination yet?" She asked.

"Yeah, did you know I was supposed to die-" he paused, "like 5 times already this year? It isn't even Halloween yet." Harry grinned. "Professor Trelawney would have such a boring life without me."

Ginny nodded, silently agreeing with him. "What does the future have in store for me?" 

Harry peered at her palm, as if it held the key to the world. "You have troubles that are coming nearer." He put on a mystical voice, mocking the Divination teacher. "But the will be a bright light at the end of the long, dark tunnel." 

"I hope that doesn't mean I'm going to die." She said half jokingly. 

"Not if I have anything to do with it." With that, Harry kissed her nose, and gathered his books. "Sorry, but I've been late for so many classes lately, I need to go to Care of Magical Creatures." 

Ginny smiled, understanding. "Hopefully I'll be out of here tonight." 

"The gods only know." He kissed her forehead quickly, and then turned to leave. He started walking, but he turned, gave one final smile to Ginny, and then he left. 

*** 

All throughout Care of Magical Creatures, Harry's mind switched between the Fire Salamanders he was supposed to be studying the eating habits of, and the way everyone reacted to him in the Great Hall. They had shunned him, not obviously, but still, that is the reaction he had received. Every so often, his thought would be broken into by poof sounds coming from the salamanders as they changed into the color of the fire. But mainly, he was able to contemplate what was being done to him. 

He felt a poke in the back, turning to see who was causing the disturbance to his thinking. Standing there was Ciaran. 

"Oh, you got to be kidding me." Harry sneered, not having the greatest respect for him at the moment. In fact, he didn't even have respect to be given to him, only hatred. 

"No, Potter, I never thought I was joking." He stepped closer to Harry, forcing Harry back.  "I think you got the point."

"By what? Getting Malfoy to do your dirty work?" Harry's patience had reached its limit. 

"Malfoy didn't do anything that he didn't want to do. I just helped him get to what he did want." He smirked; liking Harry's almost amusing, on edge attitude.  "I'm not going away, I'll be watching, waiting. When you least expect it- " he snapped his fingers. "You'll be gone." 

*** 

Harry walked back to his room alone after the lesson. It was dark in the room when he arrived, but sitting on his pillow was a letter, this letter gave off a brilliant glow. Looking oddly familiar, Harry opened it. It read: 

            _Gryffindor or Slytherin, whatever you may be; only the truest of the brave, can get away from me. _

Again, the mysterious envelope vanished, and Harry was left in darkness. 

TBC… 

**Special Thanks to:**

**Honey666**- Just letting me know that someone's reading it is always good. Yes, "Stupid Overprotective brothers!" I know what you mean. 

**Shdurrani**- Thank-you. I'm trying my best. 

**Evillalmanotlamma(frogs**- At least Ginny isn't mad at him, yes he has someone on his side, but most of the time, one is only company. 

**Cyqnus Crux**- I already talked to you. You know what I have in mind, well sort of. Thanks for reviewing anyways. It's greatly appreciated. 

**Geor-sama**- What has Ginny become? You have ideas? Let me hear them, I'll tell you if there are what I have planned or not, Mysteries, cliffhangers… my friends. * grins * Don't worry the truth will come out soon.

**Blue eyes**- More action in the love department? * laughs * You've been asking for that since I started. Don't worry; they'll get there eventually. 

**Moonygirl13**- Thanks for reviewing. Does this chapter make you even more confused? Sorry if it does. 

**Angelis**- Thank-you for reviewing, I really enjoy reading them. Interesting? Is that a good thing? 

**TigerLily**- Don't worry, all will be revealed. Everything. But, It takes a matter of time.

Thank you everyone who reviewed. 

**Happy Reading**


	11. Invisible Threads

Chapter 11: ~Invisible Threads~  
  
He sat there  
  
He sat crouched, his head was bent down, and his knees pulled to his chest, making himself seem as little as possible. Slowly, he began to rock back and forth, his movement and posture clearly showing insecurities. The wind rustled nearby, coming closer. The air swirled around him, running through his hair. He slowly lifted his head, glazing out in front of him.  
  
The lake, enhanced by the moonlight, glistening and twinkling, lay out in front of him. The moon above glowed, radiant against the black sky, neighboring the stars. The world seemed enchanted.  
  
To him, the world lost its shine; it seemed blank, devoid of any feeling or emotion. The pain inside gnawed at him, forcing any once realistic thought out of him. He once thought that happiness could overcome all, how wrong he had been, and happiness had driven him weak, a pathetic creature.  
  
He glanced back towards the castle; it's looming stature taking up all of his view. Ivan Lehnor pulled himself to his feet, and made himself walk back towards his concealed, yet exposed life.  
  
***  
  
Harry, standing in the darkness, felt frozen. He couldn't move, couldn't feel, he held his breathing to a minimum, waiting. Waiting for what? Waiting for the pain that just passed over him to fade away. A sound at the door made him move his head, yet still keeping submissive.  
  
She was standing in the doorway, her hair glittering, the light coming from the hallway making it seem more radiant then usual.  
  
"Harry?" It seemed that Ginny was able to leave the hospital wing.  
  
"Did Madam Pomfrey let you out?"  
  
"Yes, but not before I convinced her I wouldn't fall apart as soon as I left."  
  
"How'd you get in here?" he asked, knowing that as a prefect, the girls were not allowed in the boys dormitory unless invited and visa versa. Before, the fateful night where had fallen asleep in her bed, well, he didn't seem to mind, just now though, he had a lot on his mind; one main thing, the letter.  
  
"You see, there are these stairs, and then you climb them. When you get to the top, you turn left, and then voila, I ended up here. I know it sounds unbelievable, but you should try it sometime."  
  
Harry cracked a smile, but Ginny seemed to see that he wasn't in the best of moods.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, apprehensive.  
  
He slowly moved his head, she walked into the room, coming to stand near him; concern was etched into her face.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"No." Harry said bitterly. He really didn't feel like burdening Ginny with his problems, she had enough on her own. It would cause too much stress on her part to share both their problems.  
  
"Yeah, I can see that." Her sarcasm could be heard through the anxiety in her voice. She walked up to him, placing her hand upon his arm. He tensed, but not pulling away. The frustration and anger could be felt emitting from him.  
  
"Really, I'm fine. Just stressed, nothing major."  
  
Ginny looked at him. His eyes which were usually a crystal clear emerald, reflecting light and happiness, were now a dark green; power and anger swirling in their depths. Something was different, and anger and power did not usually create a good mix, it usually led to bad things.  
  
"You can tell me, you know that right?" she asked, wanting him to know that he could trust her if anything did happen.  
  
"Do you really want to know?"  
  
"Yes." She said this with such firmness; Harry had no choice but to tell her.  
  
He did. He told her everything, from the ever-changing form of the medallion, to the sword. He told her of the effects it had on him, the tiredness, the anger, the numbing pain, and the nightmares. Even though they had ceased after he came to Hogwarts, they were a constant reminder of things yet to come. Sometimes, they would be so vivid that Harry would feel himself living the nightmares, every time he thought about it. The only thing he left out was the vanishing messages, he didn't even know what they were about, and by the way the last one was written, he didn't think the sender was a secret admirer.  
  
As he told Ginny about the things happening, her face drained itself of colour. When he was finished, his hands clasped together with hers, her face was white. The freckles that once decorated her face were harsh in comparison with her pastel face. Thinking it was worry that made her look so scared, he whispered comforting things in her ear, trying to make her feel safer.  
  
"Gin, it's going to be ok. I promise."  
  
She looked at him, her chocolate brown eyes linking with his emerald ones.  
  
"Didn't you already make promises this year." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. They were harsh, stabbing at the pain already inside him. He flinched, slightly opening the small gap between them. The quilt of what happened was obviously still there, adding even more of a burden to him. "Harry, I didn't mean it like that. Please don't be mad at me."  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Just," he paused, sighing. "Concerned."  
  
"About what?" she asked, clearly knowing the answer.  
  
He pulled the sleeve of her robe up her arm. "How did that happen?"  
  
She looked down to the scrape. It was mostly healed now; a pink, puffy line was up her arm, revealing a permanent looking scar.  
  
She sighed, remembering the burning pain flashing through her, that lead to complete darkness.  
  
"Do you really want to know?" Replaying the beginning of their conversation.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ginny sighed, "Okay, I'll tell you."  
  
~*~  
  
"So Malfoy. Feel like proving yourself? 'Cause really, I'm in need of a laugh." Harry said evilly.  
  
Everyone in the common room was silent. They backed away, forming a silent circle around the two wand holders. Ginny stood at the front of the circle, her eyes searching Harry's face. She shoved her hand into her pocket, grabbing her wand, ready to join in if need be. She saw Harry nod at her, his face concerned, yet giving her permission to help, knowing that she could fend for herself, even if he didn't want her too.  
  
Malfoy grinned that hard grin of his, Ciaran behind him. It seemed to Ginny that Malfoy had found another follower.  
  
"Demtoria!" Harry shouted, his voice echoing in the room.  
  
The lights in the room vanquished. A gloom settled over it, darkness rising from the corners to engulf the room. Malfoy seemed to have a hard time standing straight. He clutched his stomach; he raised his head, again his once cold eyes flashed with a scarlet colour. They seemed to shimmer from their depths. He smiled, a crooked smile at that. Once his eyes met Harry, Harry's face turned into an evil grin, showing anger, loathing, pain, and it was all directed at Malfoy. Ginny noticed that he didn't look like himself; his eyes we deep and guarded, power flashing through the emerald orbs.  
  
He raised his wand, levelly meeting with Malfoy's.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" They both cried at the same time.  
  
The power of their selves and their wands met, ricocheting magic in every direction. Everyone ducked, covering his or her head. A spark flew into her; a burst of pain went up her side. Her eyes flashed with colour, sparks and stars covering her view. A heat flew in her swirling around her magic, guarding it, sustaining it, giving it power. The sting spread through her, vanishing all thought. Suddenly, it formed in her mind. A creature, not human, but with surprisingly human features, settled itself in her psyche, it eyes glowed red, it raised its' arm, claws showing, long and sharp.  
  
It disappeared, and Ginny was left in darkness.  
  
~*~  
  
She was brought back to the present by the comforting rubbing on her shoulder of her good arm. She was sitting on Harry's bed, his arms circled around her.  
  
"Shh, it's going to be alright." He whispered.  
  
She only noticed now that she was shaking uncontrollably. Tears that were held back began pouring down her face, the pain aching as if it were fresh and new. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't, the terror still held in her mind, the piercing eyes, the numbing pain, and the fresh sadness. Above all the sadness affected her the most. It brought fresh tearing springing to her eyes.  
  
She just rocked back and forth, simultaneously with Harry. She felt sheltered, protected, safe, the pain disappearing from her. As she leaned against him, her back against his chest, he whispered, so quietly that she could barely hear, comforting, relaxing words, he pain and sadness dissolving.  
  
"It's okay Gin, it'll be alright." He promised.  
  
"I don't know what to believe. It seems everything I try to do ends up bad."  
  
"No, not everything. Remember a few weeks ago, when you tried out for the Quidditch team. You are an amazing flyer."  
  
"Boys and Quidditch." Ginny sighed. "Don't you ever think about anything else?"  
  
"Yes, but do you really want to know?"  
  
Ginny laughed through her tears, a smile appearing on her face. She looked at him; his smile was infectious.  
  
"No, I guess I don't, remember, I have older brothers."  
  
Harry, given the thought that Ginny was indeed raised be her older brothers as much as if not more, then her mum. The thought that Fred and George had a role in Ginny's upbringing, especially since she was the youngest, frightened him a little. To think that she had an eighth of their mischief was also somewhat intriguing, and well, could have interesting effects.  
  
But the prospect of thinking rationally flew out the window, when Ron walked in the door.  
  
He froze, the sight of Ginny and Harry together seemed to have created an interesting petrified effect. Ron just stood there, rooted to the spot, and by the looks of his face and ears, he seemed pretty upset.  
  
He opened his mouth to speak, when behind him walked in Hermione. She also had the same frozen look about her, it would have been quite amusing, except for the fact that with Ron's anger and stubbornness mixed with the shock of Hermione would indeed make them have some explaining to do.  
  
Ginny, who was calmly resting in Harry's lap, seemed to be sitting up straight. The sight of her brother seeing her thus, made her extremely uncomfortable.  
  
The atmosphere was rather awkward.  
  
***  
  
Malfoy sat on his bed, thinking of the duel a few nights ago. The match between him and Potter, it kept replaying in his mind, the hollowness inside him, the doubling over, and the barren emotion. It felt powerless, weak.  
  
The opposite of everything he believed in.  
  
How could he have been so weak? So pitiful? He let the idiot Potter beat him. But not before he felt icy sharpness reach into him. The cool control, where nothing but himself mattered. Whatever it was, he liked that feeling.  
  
***  
  
Dumbledore, sat in his office, his head in his hands, grief swirled in his eyes. A large, black dog sat to the left of him, patiently waiting for the headmaster to finish his thoughts, for it seemed, the dog had thoughts of it's own. The events that have been happening ever since the beginning of the year were puzzling him, and he was not one to be easily confused, Voldemort had returned, that was certain.  
  
Something different was going on with Harry. Before he had time to ponder the boy-who-lived, a knocking on the door interrupted him.  
  
"Come in." He called, the visitor, evidently hearing him, open the office door. When he saw who was there, he greeted him cheerfully. "Ahh, come in Professor Lehnor. We've been waiting for you."  
  
***  
  
Back in the Gryffindor Tower, feelings were not as friendly, even among friends.  
  
"Umm, Hello?" Harry said, breaking the unbearable silence.  
  
"That's all you have to say? Hello?" Ron's voice was laden with disgust. "After what you did to her, you expect me to simply forget?"  
  
"What?" Ginny asked, still sitting on Harry's lap. "What are you talking about? Harry didn't do anything."  
  
"And you believed him?" Ron asked, his tone clearly one of disbelief.  
  
"Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Ginny, come off it, I mean, I know you fancy him, but if you just want to believe him for that, than you're just as gullible as Dumbledore."  
  
~I don't think that was too smart.~ Harry thought, and by the looks of it, Hermione agreed with him. Ginny, on the other hand, had never looked mad, or embarrassed. For as many years that Harry had indeed known the Weasleys, Ginny was infamous for her temper. It seemed that once she became mad, well, the results were quite astounding. Ron, who should have learned this lesson years ago, seemed to let it slip his mind, and well, Harry was wondering what would come of it. Ginny got up, out of Harry's lap, walked over to Ron, and by the looks of it, Ron knew what was coming.  
  
Or, maybe not.  
  
She raised her hand to Ron, expecting a slap; Ron squinted and moved away from her. Instead, she placed her hand in front of Ron's face, waved her hand in a circular motion as a picture formed. His eyes lost focus. It seemed to have in a trance, yet both Harry and Hermione could clearly see what was before him. In front of him, a formation of the creature that Ginny had indeed described to him. It grinned evilly at them, it's human features enhanced by the personification of his grin.  
  
Hermione let out a yelp, as Ron began to sway back and forth, his balance tilting, and at the creature that lay before them. She ran up to him, but stopped when Ginny raised her other hand, blocking him from Hermione's view. Harry who was sitting on the bed until now, jumped off, at concern for his best friend. He knew Ginny wouldn't hurt him deliberately, but at the moment, she didn't seem to be in control of her magic, and feelings, which usually lead to bad things.  
  
She lowered both hands, and Ron came back to the present. His faced paled, the colour draining from him. Hermione and Harry both rushed forward, to hold him up as he fell to the floor; he seemed to have lost all ability to stand at the moment. Ginny, stood there, the anger in her face seemed less now, satisfaction replacing it.  
  
Ron raised his head and looked at his younger sister. Disbelief was clearly written across his pale features. He was looking amazed, yet taken aback by Ginny's new power.  
  
"You'll be fine." She said, relieving both Harry and Hermione. It never occurred to them what Ginny could do when she was mad at someone. Especially her older brothers.  
  
"What did you do?" he croaked, his voice seemingly gone.  
  
"I just showed you about the actual events that happened the night Harry and Draco fought."  
  
"What was that thing?"  
  
"Well, if you get it into you thick head that Harry didn't do anything, maybe you can help us figure it out."  
  
TBC.  
  
Special Thanks to:  
  
Maroswellian: Thank you so much. That was such a positive review; I couldn't help but smile at it. Yes, hopefully, the Weasley boys will begin to understand that little Ginny is not so little anymore. Thanks again, I can't help but hope this new chapter met your expectations.  
  
SinginSpyder: Get on with the romance? * Laughs* well, there wasn't a lot of romance in this chapter, but with Halloween a week away, I'm stating to think that your suggestion might be possible.  
  
Geor-sama: You will see Hermione and Ron having, er.. discussions about the 'situation' soon enough. Hope you like the changes I made to this chapter, even if they are minor ones.  
  
Angelis: Whew, at least interesting is a good thing. Hope this chapter meets the interesting qualifications.  
  
Evillalmanotlamma(frogs: Exactly the point I was trying to get across, well, in that section. I hate that as well. You always think, well, if I'm lying here, in bed, a bandage around my ankle, what do you think? * smiles * Hope you like this chapter.  
  
Lilja: Thank you so much. I hope this chapter will be just as great.  
  
moonygirl13: Yes, this is a hobby of mine, I would love to make it more, but for now, it's a hobby. A twisted mood you say? May I ask why? * laughs * no, I wasn't planning on making Draco gay, but as soon as I read your review, I re-read my whole story, trying to find where you might have picked up that thought. No, he isn't gay.  
  
Blue Eyes: Yes, sort of a one track mind, but, if I was reading this story, not writing it, I would also want the romance to make a move on, I'm planning on making that happen soon enough.  
  
Tigerlily: In book four, and book two, people did shun Harry. But as we found out, they shunned him because they were either scared of him, or they didn't have any idea what was going on. The letter sender, well, (it) has some plans to follow through with.  
  
A/N: Okay. this chapter might have some confusing parts; yes I understand that. But hopefully, it'll clear itself up by the next chapter, which I am almost done writing. Again, please tell me what you think of this chapter, all opinions are good ones, even if they criticize my work horribly. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter, it means a lot. Thank you, and happy reading. 


	12. Obscene Rhymes and Trickery

**A/N: ** I apologize profusely for the long intervals between updates. It seems that I had some problems sending this chapter to my betas, so I just received it back. Sorry. Well, anyways, this chapter is… interesting? You'll see. Happy Reading!  

**Chapter: 12   **

**~Obscene Rhymes and Trickery~**

It seemed that Ron decided to put his fatal thoughts about Harry aside, for he was eager to help find out what was coming. It seemed that ever since the beginning of the year, whatever Ron decided to do, Hermione joined right after. Harry knew that something of the sort would eventually happen, for in everyone's opinion, except the two mentioned, they were just dancing around each other for years, hiding their feelings with multiple arguments.                                                                               

It still seemed that way, for as soon as Ron would come up with an idea, Hermione would shoot it down, arguing the facts, and how it would never be possible. During these long and unforgettable moments, Harry and Ginny would just smother smiles and exchange knowing looks.                                                                                                                                                        

As much as Ron might object to the growing relationship between his best friend and his little sister, he was too busy with his arguments to and from Hermione to bother separating them. 

Days passed by, and still Harry felt annoyed by the lack of greeting from his friends. Things may have improved between Ron and himself, but he was still ignored by fellow Gryffindors. One day he couldn't take it anymore, and he encouraged Ron to talk to them, explaining what really happened. So when he and Ron were struggling through their Divination homework, with Ginny beside them, laughing at their attempts at un-fogging the future, he brought up the subject. 

"Hmm?" Ron answered him. 

"Can you please tell everybody that I'm not going to jump out at them and kill them all? 'Cause it really is getting on my nerves." Harry replied. 

"Why do you want me to tell them that?" Ron asked, Ginny was now looking up from the amusing homework, and listening to their conversation. 

"Because everybody is acting like I'm some kind of monster or something." 

Ron looked puzzled, then replied, "Well, I thought something was different with you before Ginny did that 'wishy-washy-shapish-thing'" he referred to the form that Ginny had shown him. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean, you went all weird when you were fighting Malfoy, you went all glowing and flashing and stuff." 

"Huh?" 

"Yeah, it was pretty strange." Ron shook his head, "It was scary. Hermione was shaking, I think she saw something different then I did though," he paused, "because when I asked her about it, she described something different then what I saw." 

"What did you see?" Harry asked, almost wary of the answer. 

"Well," Ron paused again, squinting as if the duel was re-playing itself before his eyes. "You went all gold, like an aura or something. And your eyes went red, like they flashed when you looked at Malfoy. It was very strange, and scary. Maybe that is why people aren't talking to you anymore." 

Harry just started at him. His eyes have been flashing red? He remembered Malfoy's eyes changing red when he dueled at him, or when he became angry, or something. It puzzled him then, but the fact that it was happening to him as well worried him greatly. 

"Are you sure?" he asked, wanting to believe that it wasn't true, it seemed all too real not to be, yet it seemed as if it was a fantasy. 

Ron nodded gravely. Then he looked at Ginny, she was looking intently at Harry, staring at his face, but he was completely oblivious to her. 

Harry sighed, and placed his head in his hands, completely frustrated with the present situation. Then when he added the stress of the mysterious notes on top of it, he felt completely drowned in the pool of tension. He was brought back into the reality, by a soft hand resting on his arm. He looked down, his head still in his hands, Ginny looked up at him. 

"It'll be okay." She mouthed, smiling helpfully. 

Harry was brought over with a weird feeling, a mixture of nervousness, and happiness surging through him. His stomach seemed o drop down to the floor, and his heart seemed to rise to the clouds. He was not used to this feeling, yet he got it every time Ginny smiled at him. He gratefully smiled back, feeling that if the world ended at this very moment, he would die happy, for he had received Ginny Weasley's smile. Laughing softly at himself for being so sappy, he changed his thoughts back to the problem at hand. 

*** 

It appeared that Ron did have a discussion with some of the Gryffindors, for Harry seemed more welcome the next few days, then he had in a week. Maybe Ron did this out of the goodness of his heart, but Harry had a suspicion that he was feeling slightly guilty about his attitude earlier. No matter what the reason was, Harry was grateful.

He walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast, the Monday before Halloween, in a better mood then he had been in all week. The cool shoulders he had received were being replaced with warm welcomes from his friends, and bone crushing hugs from strangely enough, Lavender and Pavarti. 

As he made his way to the Gryffindor table, he noticed that the menace of his thoughts, Ciaran, was sitting by himself at the end of the table, engrossed in a book. He looked up, noticing that Harry was looking at him, he sneered at Harry, then grabbed his book and left. Harry, knowing that the look was from the fact the Ciaran was suspended from the Quidditch team for the time being, for inviting Malfoy into the Gryffindor common, just shook it off, and plopped down next to Ginny and Fred. 

Nodding to both of them in welcome, he helped himself to a piece of toast, and started to butter it. He was mid-way through his meal when the post began to arrive. He searched to crowd of owls, looking for Hedwig. She landed next to his plate, dropping a letter on his meal, nipped his hand affectionately, ate the half piece of toast in Harry's hand, and then took off. 

Harry picked up the letter, reading the writing on the front of the envelope. Not recognizing the writing completely, he opened it. A shining letter fell into his lap. 

 _Un-denied fun I'm having, as you know it's true. You have to be the smartest of wit, if you want to see it through.  _

Harry's good mood vanished, and it wasn't from the half piece of toast that Hedwig stole. His heart stopped, he had hoped that the last letter would indeed have been the last, but evidently, it was not. 

Stranger still, the letter did not vanish this time; it stayed there, resting quietly on his lap. The words though, seemed to dance and haunt his mind, teasing him. Whoever sent it to him, well, that was what was bugging him the most. 

"Oi, Harry, who's the letter from?" Fred's voice broke through his thoughts. 

"Umm, nobody… I have to go." Harry jumped up and left, leaving a crowd of confused faces behind him. 

*** 

Sirius paced back and forth, threatening to create a trench in the floor of Dumbledore's office. He kept on walking back, and forth, until finally, a force holding him still, stopped him. 

"Finally," sighed Ivan Lehnor, "you were making me dizzy." 

Sirius made an attempt to pace again, but being unable to move, looked at Ivan sourly. Professor Lehnor sighed and said; 

"I'll let you go if you promise to stop that bloody pacing." 

Sirius nodded, showing his understanding. Ivan flicked his hand, undoing the charm. Still glaring at Ivan, Sirius flopped in a chair next to Dumbledore's desk. He sighed, looking at Professor Lehnor. 

"You know you can't tell Harry, even though you and I both want to." 

"Yes, I know that. I'm just wondering why I can't." 

"It would make things worse. You do know about the amulet don't you?" 

Ivan sighed, "Of course I do, but Harry does have a right to know." 

Sirius placed his head in his left palm, looking out the window at the lake. "Yes, I know. But it would make things too complicated. I can only be here for him so often. If he knew that you were great friends with James and me, he would continuingly ask about him." 

"Sirius, I am not as stupid as to tell him that much." 

Sirius blinked, "Yes, but important things have slipped before." 

*** 

Harry walked down to the Potions dungeon, miserable that he would have to spend the next 2 hours listening to Snape, and being picked on mercilessly by him. He walked in, joining Ron and Hermione, who both seemed very red at the moment. Thinking that it was safer not to know why, he took out his books. 

Snape came in looking fouler, and greasier then usual. He snarled at the class, stomped to his potions desk, took out a cauldron, rested his hands upon it and waited. The class sat in a total stupor. The silence was deafening. 

Harry looked around, on the Slytherin side of the room, he noticed Malfoy lying casually across his chair. That was no different then usual, but he seemed almost arrogant in his lounging. Not that he wasn't normally, it just seemed that now, after the duel, he seemed to think that the world should bow down before him. Not a good sign. What happened next surprised him more than anything in his life, and if it happened again, Harry was sure that the world would be ending. 

"Draco!" He heard Snape snarl, "Sit up straight in your chair. Nobody likes a lazy lay about!"   

The Gryffindor's were brought out of their dazed stupor, and now looked unbelieving shocked. Snape had never, ever criticized Malfoy on anything, let alone his posture. Draco did as he was told, muttering under his breath. No doubt the words 'My father' were being said. Snape glared at him, and Malfoy stopped all muttering at once. 

Snape looked around the room, glaring at each and every one of the students there. Finally he said, almost wearily: 

"Get out your ingredients for the Hindering Draught; we'll start on that today." 

Everybody, dazed at his tone, and the way he talked to Malfoy, just did, as he said, not even bothering to question him. 

*** 

On the day of Halloween, all third years and above decided to spend a leisurely day exploring the village of Hogsmead. Every one was in a good mood, enjoying the crisp fall weather, relishing in the fact that it was the weekend, and all looking forward to the feast that awaited them on their return to Hogwarts. 

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, strolled around Hogsmead, talking and laughing, but the thought of the letters were still fresh in Harry's mind. Still, he did not feel the need to worry his friends, for everyone had their own problems, adding to them, would just ruin everybody's day. Harry didn't want to feel responsible for that as well. So he kept those thought to himself and concentrated on having a lovely day with his friends. 

The weird thing was that his friends were not acting normally at all. The exchanged glances between Ron and Hermione were driving him crazy. Not the fact that they were exchanging glances, it was the fact that he didn't know what the glances meant. 

Another thing, that didn't bug him at all, but he was worried about Ron's reaction, was the fact that under the long sleeves of his cloak, a slender hand was entwined with his. This in fact, brightened Harry's day considerably, almost making him forget the troubles in his world, almost. Ginny, on the other hand, blushed when Harry managed to catch her eye. She would just smile and look away, slightly reddened. It was a constant reminder of the few shared kisses, and the growing relationship between them. 

Harry's fear of Ron's reaction, were completely wasted though. Ron was too engrossed with starting arguments with Hermione, that he didn't even notice who was looking at his sister, let alone, holding her hand. 

They made their way towards the Three Broomsticks, wanting to bask in the warm glow of their Butterbeers. As they settled down in a booth near the window, they ordered their drinks, looked around them. The pub was packed, filled to the brim with students from Hogwarts. Fred and George, with their friend Lee Jordan were conspiring in a corner. Harry just shook his head; he did not want to know why they were huddled like that. 

When their drinks arrived, Harry took a sip happily. He was seated next to Ginny, with Ron and Hermione across from them. Ginny's hand was boldly lying across his leg, trailing it back and forth. It was all Harry could do, not to choke on his drink. Ron and Hermione did seem to notice his on edge attitude. 

"A little warm Harry?" Ron asked, thinking the sudden change in temperature was causing Harry's discomfort. 

"Umm... you could say that." He managed to squeak out. 

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Hermione added, completely oblivious to the real reason. 

"Umm, sure... If that's possible..." He said, looking quickly at Ginny. She just smiled innocently, sipping her drink. 

"It is." Ron said simply, casually leaning back against the booth. 

"If you say so." After one more glance at Ginny, Harry finished his Butterbeer placed it down, again glancing around. 

His attention was brought from the careful, yet bold trailing of Ginny's fingers, to the sight of Ciaran, sitting in a lone booth, absorbed in the same book he saw him with earlier. Frowning at him, Harry mentally thought how fun it would be to place him in the Whopping Willow, and leaving him there. Sighing at the fact that it would never be possible without being caught, Harry's attention was drawn back towards Ginny's hand, which was now resting on his thigh. 

He glanced at Ron, but it seemed that Ron himself was looking a little more red then usual. 

"Did you want to go to Honeydukes?" he squeaked. 

*** 

They did all decide to the sweetshop, all for different reasons. Ron's reason though, Harry didn't want to know. He walked slowly, Ginny's hand still grasping his. They entered the extremely crowded shop, squeezing there way through the thick crowd. 

When they all had bought their fill of sweets, and decided that it was time to head back to Hogwarts, so they didn't miss the feast, the made their way out of the thinning crowd and headed back through the gates. 

They walked back quickly towards the Gryffindor Tower, going into their separate dormitories. After dropping off their purchases and exchanging their cloaks for robes, they met back down in the common room, ready for the feast. 

Walking down to the Great Hall, they laughed and talked about their day. Harry told them all about the twins huddling in the corner of the Three Broomsticks. With them all wondering what the twins were up to, they were surprised when they reached the brightly lit Hall, with pumpkins floating around, the tables covered in enjoyable food. 

Harry was happily talking with his friends when it happened. His eyes lost focus, the world around him going dark. A high-pitched laugh filled the air, his mother's voice cutting through him. Then, for yet another time this year, the world faded out, and went black. 

TBC…..

**Blue Eyes**:  Thank you… here's more… Ron? Learning? Not likely… 

**Moonygirl13**:  Alan Rickman? Hot? Eww… bad picture. * shudders * nah, he's not on my list of hot celebrities… Some kind of demon you say? I deny everything. It may or may not be… Have you heard of a demon who could write, never mind rhyme? Just a suggestion.

**Lucerito-del-alba**:  I know, Harry and Ron need to be friends… especially for what is in store for Harry… Thanks for reviewing.

**Cyqnus-Crux:**  I must say, your reviews are always interesting to read… Good as well. Yes, something is happening to Malfoy, yet in this chapter, you don't find out much. Thank you for reviewing.

**Evillamanotlamma(frogs**:  Thanks for reviewing, and I do plan to write more. Yes, Ginny will have a way of showing her older brothers that she is not a little girl anymore… Ron should be more cautious. 

**Angelis**:  Thanks so much. I'm glad that you liked the chapter. 

**Luigi**:  Expect to see more Quidditch soon… Harry has a little competition though… Ciaran doesn't seem to like him much does he?

**Tigerlily**:  Your story, Glimpses of Truth… great by the way…post more! Anyways, yes Harry didn't tell Ginny about the letters… why? You'll see.


	13. Simularities

Chapter 13 ~ Similarities ~  
  
Harry was lost in the world of darkness. The black mist formed clouds; they swirled and danced around him. Green light flashed above and below him. The world lost all depth; an object nearby could very well be miles in a direction. He floated in a blank realm.  
  
A red cloud was swirling in front of him, with every rotation it appeared to become larger. A hand appeared breaking the cloud. The thin arm was connected to a body of a man, frail looking, despite the hardness and anger showing in his red orbs. He grinned mercilessly at Harry, his hand reaching for a pocket on his robes. He raised his wand to shoulder height, the tip glimmering.  
  
"Crucio!" He roared, his voice powerful, shaking the surrounding darkness.  
  
Harry felt pain shot through him, stretching and stinging the tips of his toes to his navel. His fingers crackled with electrifying pain, the shock shooting up his arms. It felt so very real.  
  
Voldemort laughed. He lifted his wand, breaking the curse.  
  
"Again, for the second time this year we meet. And again, you are left helpless at my mercy. Not a nice place to be left at. Many people in your position have died, many more will."  
  
Harry struggled to bring himself upright, then pain still tingling in his body. "You are not real. This is just a dream."  
  
"Yes, you are right, this is just a dream, a different plain, a different form of reality. But you see, I can touch you here, I am very much real."  
  
Voldemort raised his hand, waving it in front of him. The air became diluted, shiny waves appeared out of his hand. Harry's forehead exploded, splitting down the center of his body. His hands felt as if they had been placed in a fire, the burning sensation ran through him, making his ears ring with the pain.  
  
"You see Harry Potter, we have many similarities."  
  
***  
  
A white world surrounded Harry as he awoke from his unconscious state. He was lying on a bed, quite comfortable. Under his head was a mountain of white, fluffy pillows, on top, a soft comforter, pulled up to his chin. He moved his hands slowly, shaking himself out of his numb state. He moved his head slowly, but as soon as he shifted the tiniest bit, a sharp pain rocketed through him, making him halt all movements.  
  
He slowly brought his hands out from beneath the covers, holding them in front of his face. They were raw. It looked as though his hands have been placed in fire. They were red and swollen, the skin peeling. He stared at them, trying to remember how this had happened.  
  
He lay there for quite a while, falling quietly into a gentle stupor. The kind that made him numb to the surrounding world. A piece of fluttering paper shook him out of his phase, brining him crashing back to this reality. It read:  
  
As we play this game, the game of cat and mouse, it doesn't matter if you come from either house.  
  
Harry, stressed from the million different things at the moment, just groaned at the sight of the letter. He had enough problems at the present moment to take up his time, then having to deal with some kind of rhyming bloke who found it immensely funny to bother him with such fluff.  
  
He noticed a vial next to him, the liquid bluish-green in colour. He grimaced, hoping that he wouldn't have to swallow the murky stuff. As the year seemed so far, unlucky was a mild word to describe it. Harry, being a person who seemed to have bad luck thrown upon him, would probably have to drink two of the vials, not just one.  
  
Madam Pomfrey must have noticed that Harry had awoken, and she came bustling in, a ball of magical energy. She swooped down upon him, feeling his head, and checking for any apparent damage. She then, when Harry had told her repeatedly that he was fine, handed him the vial with the murky blue-green slime inside it. Nodding wearily, he drank the horrid liquid, shuddering as it slipped down his throat, the ice-like fluid freezing his insides. As fast as the feeling came, it vanished, replaced with a warm, energizing sensation racing through his body, the pain disappeared.  
  
"Can I leave now?" he asked, anxious to get out of the hospital wing and find his friends.  
  
Madame Pomfrey sighed, inspecting him as if she was inspecting a piece of fine, silver china for dirt, or a smudged fingerprint. "Alright, you may leave, but if you have another flash like before, I want you to report back here on the double."  
  
Harry nodded his understanding, and then ran out so fast; he almost missed the youngest Weasley, and the center of his attention for the past few months, sitting by the exit. He stopped, glancing at her. She was huddled there, her arms circling her knees, with her head resting upon her arms as if using them for a pillow. When Harry crouched in front of her, sitting on his heels, she didn't bother to look up. Realizing that she was sleeping, he reached a hand out to gently brush a piece of fallen hair behind her ear, marveling in her beauty.  
  
She moved slightly, groaning as she was brought out of sleep. Harry reached out and gently, not to scare her, caressed her cheek. The next thing that happened scared the both of them more then they have ever been in their lives.  
  
* BOOM *  
  
Harry jumped back, falling onto his backside. Ginny, being startled out of her snooze, stood up fast. Peeves, finding it hilarious to scare both Harry and Ginny out of their wits, came singing down the corridor, smashing purposely into suits of armor while doing so.  
  
"Wittle Harry Potter, looks like he finally caught her! / Ran around for many years, trampling the hearts of many little dears. / But this little girl, she stood out fine, think its because of the singing Valentine?"  
  
Peeves, finding himself unusually funny, swooped down upon them. Laughing like a crazed maniac, which wouldn't be far from the normal truth, he rattled another suit of amour for good effect, then moved down the halls, scaring the pictures out of their frames.  
  
"Oh god," Ginny gasped, "That is not one way I like to be woken up."  
  
Harry smiled innocently. "I was planning on waking you up another way, but I never got around to it."  
  
When the two parties realized what had just been said, they both looked rather uncomfortable. Harry's one main though was that if Ron ever heard what he just said, he would be without the use of his eyes, for they would have been swollen from Ron's fist from talking to his baby sister like that. Harry grinned uneasily, wondering what Ginny's reaction would be, for at the current moment, she was just looking down at her feet, he face the same colour as her hair.  
  
"Umm, yeah." Ginny mumbled, reaching a hand up to brush her hair back out of her face. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Putting aside the fact that I feel like a steamroller has been run over me twelve times, pretty good?" Harry grimaced, rubbing his aching head.  
  
"Steamroller?" Ginny asked, puzzled.  
  
"A big, heavy device muggles used to flatten things."  
  
Ginny, getting the gist of what he meant, winced, picturing the thought in her mind. "So what happened?"  
  
Harry sighed, now rubbing his head with both hands, leaning against the nearby wall for support. He moved down, sitting on his ankles. He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes, recalling the dream he had, then the pain that followed. He sighed again, leaning against the hand that appeared on his left cheek.  
  
"It'll be okay." Ginny said reassuringly.  
  
"No it won't, he's back." Harry said bitterly, "It's all my fault, people are going to die, and it'll be my fault."  
  
Ginny looked shocked at the bitterness in his voice, her hand still caressing his face softly. Then she smiled slightly, she leaned forward and kissed his right cheek.  
  
"I'm going to help you."  
  
Harry looked at Ginny, feeling touched by the determination in her voice. "I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
"I won't. Neither will you. That is my promise to you." She smiled vaguely.  
  
As she leaned forward, the necklace that Harry gave her at the beginning of the year fell out of her shirt, hanging by her neck. It was an emerald green; despite the multi-colours it was when Harry gave her the token. Harry reached up and looked at it carefully. It seemed to sparkle, shimmer in the light. When he touched it with careful fingers, it brightened to a scarlet. Startled, he left go of it.  
  
Ginny leaned forward, holding the trinket in her hands delicately. "Why did it do that?"  
  
Harry gulped, recalling how Ron said his eyes had flashed, then remember how Malfoy's had done the same thing before, startling him. "I actually don't know." A thought struck him, creating a scene in his head.  
  
"Similarities."  
  
Ginny lifted her head, glancing around. "Did you hear that?"  
  
Harry, wondering if she just heard him say the word aloud thought nothing of it. "Hear what?"  
  
"Similarities, the word. It seemed to fly past here, like it was spoken by wind."  
  
Relief flooded Harry, if Ginny heard what he was thinking, and then it probably meant that he said it aloud. "Yeah, I said that. I was just thinking of something."  
  
Ginny frowned, despite the reassurances from Harry, something was wrong. She was just about to say so, when a voice overhead caught their attention.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione's excited squeal could be heard. The next thing either of the two crouching people knew was the bone-crushing hug that they both received from her. "We were so worried, we though you were hurt-" She continued to jabber on for quite a while, and Harry could feel his shirt become suspiciously wet.  
  
When Hermione had recomposed herself enough, she released them, and the now two squashed people leaning against the wall for support were now about to breath. Behind her stood Ron, he just nodded at Harry, but relief was written across his features.  
  
"Are you okay?" Ron asked.  
  
"I'm fine, just tired, a little sore-" His stomach rumbled, "And hungry."  
  
Ginny laughed nervously, the prospect of being seen by her older brother in such close proximity of Harry, unnerved her a little. As far as she could tell, there was nothing between them except for a bit of harmless flirting, but knowing Ron like she did, he would probably take it out of hand. She just sighed, and followed her friends out towards the Great Hall.  
  
***  
  
The boom of the crowd echoed inside the Gryffindor changing room, as Harry stood before his team. It was the first official game of the Quidditch season. Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. On the outside, Harry looked the picture of a perfect Quidditch captain, he stood tall, and his back straight with confidence, his emerald eyes sparkling with excitement. On the inside, he couldn't help the nervous tingle that always came before a game.  
  
He surveyed the team before him, Fred and George, leaning on each other for support, Katie, Angelina, and Alicia stood in a group gossiping, and Ron stood beside him, looking towards the doors that lead to the pitch. Harry clapped his hands once, and everyone's attention turned to him.  
  
"Alright team, we can do this-" He started, planning to give a pep talk to his teammates. Fred interrupted him with a groan.  
  
"George, we have to help him-"  
  
"I fear we do, but he might be contagious-"  
  
"Look! He's starting to become purple-"  
  
"Uh oh."  
  
The twins stared at Harry, somber expressions on their faces.  
  
"Umm. what is it?" Harry asked, afraid of what they would say.  
  
"You're. you're."  
  
"Turning. into. Oliver." George sank down to his knees, grasping Harry robes in mock hysterics, sobbing dramatically. Harry moved back slowly, prying George off his robes.  
  
"I am not turning into Oliver. I only make you practice twice a week. He was a fanatic."  
  
George continued to sob into his hands, Fred patting him consolingly on the back. Fred looked at Harry, grinning.  
  
"Please, never, ever start a speech like that." He put a hand to his left breast, over his heart, and said solemnly. "It hurts deep."  
  
George jumped to his feet, grabbing Katie's hand, swinging her into a circle. Kissed her cheek quickly, and turned to Harry.  
  
"Let us play."  
  
Harry grinned, grabbing his Firebolt. "Let's."  
  
***  
  
When they finally stepped through the gates onto the pitch, the bright sun met their eyes, making them shield them, squinting. The crowd screamed wildly around them, waving flags, and banners, flapping them in the wind. Harry took in a deep breath, relishing in the fact that he could finally play a decent game of Quidditch. Despite the interesting times that he had last year with the TriWizard Tournament, he missed just playing Quidditch. Harry led his follow teammates to the center of the pitch, facing their opposition.  
  
Cho Chang smiled at Harry, raising her hand to shake his. He grinned back, firmly grasping hers, marveling over the concept, and that a year ago, he would have given anything to be in this position, but now, it was nothing worth mooning over.  
  
Madam Hooch blew her whistle, signaling the start of the game, releasing the Snitch. Harry pushed off the ground, rising fast in the air, above the rest of the game.  
  
This seemed to be his favourite tactic, to hover above the initial playing, just searching with his eyes for the Snitch. He absently listened to Lee's commentary, while admiring the teams' efforts.  
  
"As it is the first match of the season, we are welcomed with two new captions on either side. One is the lovely Cho Chang, quite a beautiful girl she is. And the other is the well known, mostly well liked, Harry Potter. It seems that this year Harry has gotten himself a girlfriend. Listen people, this is insider information, it is heard that Harry Potter is going out with-"  
  
"Jordan." Professor McGonagall said warningly.  
  
"Ginny Weasley, who happens to be the sister of three of the Gryffindor players. She is also-"  
  
"Jordan! This is not a gossip column! If you can't announce the game properly, your position will be revoked."  
  
"Okay, anyways, Gryffindor in possession! Katie Bell passes it to Angelina - who flies past Seymour Fyne - shoots- SCORES! Ten- Zero Gryffindor!"  
  
Harry grinned as he floated above the game. His eyes scanned the playing field, trying to catch a glimpse of sparkling gold. He moved lower, intertwining him self in the confusion. He looked to one side, blinding the other. In a spilt second, the inevitable happened. Cho banged into him, being hit by a Bludger herself. Harry teetered slightly, grabbing the handle of his broom tightly to keep himself from falling. Cho, on the other hand, did not seem to have as quick of reflexes as him. She lost her grip on her broom, getting the full impact of the Bludger.  
  
"- it seems that Cho Chang has been hit quite harshly by a Bludger, and by a domino effect, smashed into Harry. While it appears that Harry has stabled himself, Cho may be finding getting back on to her broom a problem- "  
  
Harry glanced over at Cho, reaching over to quickly bring her up. He pulled her up, grasping her right forearm tightly, locking his other hand behind her left elbow. Madam Hooch blew her whistle below them, causing a halt to the game momentarily. When Harry was sure that Cho wouldn't fall, he let go of her arms, but until then, he had her closely to him, supporting her.  
  
Cho smiled thankfully at Harry when he released her, moving away slowly, and despite his best efforts, a tingle went through his stomach, and Harry gulped.  
  
"Thanks." Cho said gratefully, rubbing where the Bludger knocked into her.  
  
"No problem, really it was okay, anytime." Harry blabbed, rushing his words. Madam Hooch flew to them.  
  
"Is everyone fine?" She asked.  
  
The two captains nodded, both eager to leave the awkward position and play the game. Madam Hooch nodded once, and then blew her silver whistle, re- staring the game.  
  
"After the somewhat amusing domino effect, the game is back in swing. Seymour Fyne has the Quaffle, and he passes it to Ryan Iver- he shoots - SCORES! " Lee's voice soared over the booming crowd, as the Ravenclaws cheered enthusiastically for their team.  
  
Harry flew around the game, circling it. Now searching desperately for the Snitch to end the once pleasant game that had turned to awkward glances between him and Cho. Even though he didn't care for her anymore, he couldn't shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"With the score at eighty to sixty for Gryffindor, the game could end up being on either side."  
  
Suddenly, a sparkle to the left of him caught his eyes. He turned his head swiftly, searching for the glint of gold. He saw it below him, just under the Keeper's place on the field. He dived, Cho coming out just in from of him, racing towards the Snitch as well. They leveled off, matching each other's speed despite the favour of Harry's broom over hers. It seemed that in the past year, Cho had improved as a flyer.  
  
They dove towards the ground, making everyone in the stands stand and hold their breath, waiting for someone to make an impact in the dirt. But, the hopeful ones in the crowd were disappointed, for both Seekers managed to pull there broom up, soaring an even two feet above the green earth. The Snitch was about ten yards in front of them. As the Seekers pushed themselves to the ultimate speed, the Snitch started moving itself towards them, right in the middle of the players. Harry, noticing the movements a second before Cho, pulled back, raising a hand above him, catching the golden Snitch as it flew into his hands, Cho a second behind him. Harry was thrown back from the whip like movement from the Snitch.  
  
The crowd roared, clapping and jumping, the Gryffindor section making the most noise, cheering for their team. Harry landed his broom, holding the Snitch high above him in one hand. He grinned, taking the winning of the game as a good omen. The Gryffindor team landed around him, grinning and clapping him on the back.  
  
"Great play Harry!" Fred said, grinning, moving to hug Angelina.  
  
"Calls for celebration." George stated, as if it was a well-known fact.  
  
"Indeed it does my dear brother." Fred said, grinning in anticipation of a party.  
  
A laugh to the left of him brought Harry out of Fred and George's conversation, and he looked to find the culprit of such happy noise, willing to find out what caused the sudden outburst. When he did turn and find the person of laughter, he grinned, somewhat uncomfortably, but still happy for the couple of Ron and Hermione. Ron had her held by the waist, his forehead pressed to hers, just talking and smiling.  
  
A hand grabbed his arm, pulling him in one direction. He turned to the person pulling him, a smile on his face.  
  
"Harry, that was brilliant!" Ginny's excited face beamed up at him. Harry smiled in response, leaning down to kiss her nose. Ginny smiled, tilting her head more, so that the kiss landed, willingly, on her lips. Harry, with no objections to the placement of his mouth, kissed her sweetly, bringing his arm around her back to press her closer to him.  
  
"Harry, if you're going to snog with my sister, try to do it in a less obvious place."  
  
TBC..  
  
Angelis: Yes, people have a tendency to write cliffhangers, and unfortunately, I may be among them. I hope this ending is not as much so.  
  
Cyqnus Crux: Thank you for not picking the chapter horribly apart. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to update. I will try to update as soon as possible next time.  
  
Tigerlily: Okay. it seems that I'm confusing you more and more each time. But, I promise all will be sorted out as soon as possible (also since I have to be done before the real Harry Potter book comes out). Thank you, and I will update quicker next time. Also, on a side note. there will be more letters to come.  
  
Maroswellian: No, you're not reading it wrong. I plan to make something between Ron and Hermione. They just seem to fit together. Also (since the coupling on the description says so) you can tell that the friendship between Harry and Ginny may lead to something more. Thanks so much for reviewing!  
  
I don't have a friken pen nam: Do you think something may be going on between Ron and Hermione. I tend to lean towards that coupling as well as Harry and Ginny.  
  
morgan: Well.. I didn't update so soon, but I did update. Thanks so much for reviewing. 


	14. The Right Notes to Play

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed. You know that I appreciate it greatly. I was watching my reviews and I was like, 'please let me reach a hundred.' Guess what. I received 99 delightful reviews on my last 13 chapters. I find this a checkpoint in my story, and I would like to thank everyone who ever reviewed. I hope you all continue to read my story and find it at least semi-enjoyable. Please, fear not to tell me what you really think. Thanks to all.  
  
Chapter 14: ~ The Right Notes to Play ~  
  
It was indeed quite hectic after the amazing win by Gryffindor. Peers were rushing around the common room at a rapid pace, moving as if the Heir of Slytherin himself was after them. For the most part, the actual team lazed on the couches and chairs, restoring strength for the coming party ahead. The only missing members were Fred and George, and by Harry's account, they were probably on their way back from Honeydukes at any moment.  
  
Harry, in particular, was sprawled across a comfortable, yet stuffed, armchair. This, on any other day, would be normal. The fact that made this, such a blunt statement, was the redhead currently plopped down upon his lap. The two in discussion were oblivious to the looks they were receiving for their obvious displays of affection.  
  
Harry was smiling up at Ginny as she sat on his legs, facing him with her legs crossed. They seemed to be talking through movements, not words. Harry's most obvious concern was what Ron might say, or do, if he found both Harry and his baby sister in such a friendly position.  
  
But it seemed luck was in Harry's favour as he looked about the common room. Ron was nowhere in sight, and, on closer inspection, neither was his other best friend. Not wanting to know what sort of shenanigans the two could, and probably would, get into, he turned his attention back to the lovely creature currently resting on his abdomen.  
  
She was happily involved in a conversation with Angelina, as her hand remained tightly grasped with Harry's. Her eyes were unusually bright, sparkling with mischief, a trait passed down from her brothers. Although there was no official announcement on the subject, it seemed fitting to say that she was indeed Harry's girlfriend and Harry had no objection to that statement whatsoever.  
  
A sudden burst of noise came from the common room door, and in walked both Fred and George, both carrying bags upon bags with the emblem of Honeydukes plastered on the front. They were welcomed with cheers as they placed the bags upon the nearest table, and started to unwrap the goodies from inside them. Nether of them gave any more resistance to the position of their sister but a smirk, and look of knowing.  
  
When all the sweets had been strategically placed around the room so that nobody was more then a mere five feet away from some sort of sugar contraption, did the party truly begin. Everyone seemed to join in on the festivities, laughing along, praising the team for their efforts.  
  
Both Harry and Ginny did not notice when the two missing people from earlier returned. Ron had suddenly appeared at Harry's side, with Hermione closely following. Harry nodded in greeting, trying his best to not look at Hermione's slightly messy hair, or the undying blush that flushed Ron's ear's making his eyes seem extra bright. It was plainly obvious that something was going on between the two of his friends. And despite the fact that all along he knew something of the sort would happen, he couldn't help feeling just a bit strange among them at the moment. But, if Ron wasn't going to ask questions about him and Ginny, he wasn't going to ask about Ron and Hermione either.  
  
"How's it going?" He asked, trying to break the silence that filled the air.  
  
"Umm, not too bad, had to go run a few errands, but were back now." Ron said, blushing a bit more, the red flush leading towards his nose.  
  
Harry smirked to himself, errands, yes, and he was the son of Voldemort. He snorted quietly to himself, nodding at Ron in agreement.  
  
"What happened up there Harry?" Hermione asked, referring to the incident while playing the previous Quidditch game.  
  
"Cho just lost her balance, nothing major. She bumped into me, I think I bruised my arm, but she'll be fine."  
  
"It looked like she was going to fall from where we were." Hermione stated.  
  
"Well, she probably would have, she got hit by a Bludger, but the just lost her balance. She should be okay now."  
  
"Yes, but-" Whatever Hermione had to say was indeed cut off by a arm coming around both Harry and Ginny, Fred's head poked through the opening just between their shoulders.  
  
"The star of the game! Harry, my dear old friend, won't you try a Banana Burst?" He smiled innocently, offering a plate to everyone.  
  
"Fred, I would, but it's the burst part that scares me." He patted Fred's arm in a reassuring way, smiling innocently back.  
  
"You have no reason to fear the food I offer. Neville seems to enjoy them immensely." Fred nodded in Neville's direction.  
  
Neville was hunched over on the armchair that Harry and Ginny had previously sat in; he was moaning and had a look of pain on his face.  
  
"You see, they are called 'burst' because as you chew and swallow them, they begin to crackle as you eat them. It only creates a pleasant tickling sensation as you swallow." He grinned wickedly, showing his teeth. "Really, they won't hurt yo-" His sentence was interrupted with a loud groan from Neville as he moved off the chair and made his way up to the dormitories. "- u much."  
  
"Much." Ron assessed. "What is much?"  
  
"Exactly," Fred agreed, offering the tray again, "Okay, it's your loss."  
  
"Actually the word I believe your searching for is 'gain'." Ginny smiled sweetly at her elder brother. "Toodles."  
  
"Sheesh, I can tell when I'm not wanted." Fred grinned. "Maybe Angelina might want me now." he let that sentence hang there as he left their group, making it over to the person of his discussion.  
  
"Poor Neville, he never seems to learn does he?" Ron said waving a bottle of Butterbeer around to show is point. "He always excepts whatever Fred and George may come up with, without even thinking."  
  
"He'll learn eventually." Hermione stated, reaching for a Chocolate Frog, "Until then, he can keep Madame Pomfrey company in the Hospital wing."  
  
"True," Ron said, "So true."  
  
***  
  
Professor Dumbledore sipped his tea with a thoughtful look on his face. Sirius and Ivan sat in front of him in silence toying idly with their newly empty mugs. It seemed that despite the win by Gryffindor, none of the people present were in such a mood to celebrate. Sirius stared off into the distance, his hands twirling the teacups around, his mind completely involved with the current situation.  
  
Voldemort was back, but unusually so, he was being quite quiet about his presence. No multiple killings, no mysterious curses, for all that Sirius knew, he could have been learning how to speak fluent pig-Latin. But, on more thought and more twirling of his teacup, he knew that Voldemort was never the one to sit quietly for long, especially when Sirius's godson was still alive and kicking.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat, breaking the unbearable silence. "I believe Voldemort is currently residing in Southern Wessex. Reports of disappearances have been coming from that area quite rapidly."  
  
"Yes, but if that is true, shouldn't we send someone there to make sure this is not another trick, because if you remember what happened over the summer." Ivan said, trailing off.  
  
"Well, Harry and Ms. Weasley are safe, there is no need to send them into a panic. They have enough trouble as it is."  
  
"Albus, I still can't see how Ms. Weasley fits in to all this, yes, she is Harry's friend and Mr. Weasley's sister, but she has no importance to Voldemort." Ivan stated.  
  
"Ginny Weasley does not have importance to Voldemort yet, but she has a role to play in what is to come. I do not know how, but it is known to me."  
  
***  
  
Harry leaned against the back of his chair clutching his stomach. The smell of eggs and toast didn't help the knowing feeling inside of him, as well as the drowsiness of last night's late night.. It rolled in waves, making his head ache horribly. He moaned softly, trying to calm his insides, concentrating on making the pain disappear.  
  
Breathe. in and out. calmness. tranquility. breathe. in and out.  
  
Harry's stomach stilled, relaxing. All throbbing pain in his head faded away. The beginning of a bruise on his arm where Cho had banged into him faded, the soreness disappearing into nothing. In fact, all sore and stiff muscles became loosened up, he felt as if he had been miraculously refreshed.  
  
Uh-oh. this is becoming stranger then before. Not that he didn't mind the new feeling of healthiness, it was just uncomfortable knowing that his medallion was more magical then he thought. When was he going to find out about the healing powers? Was this a new development? Or did he have it all along; he just didn't know how to use them? This was too confusing and obliviously, he voiced his opinion.  
  
"What's too confusing?" Hermione asked. "Really, if you just concentrate, the transportation charm is really easy. Just concentrate really hard on where your sending things to. Watch." Hermione took out her wand, placing a ripe apple in front of her; looking at it steadily she flicked her wand. "Transtaius"  
  
Harry smiled. "Thanks for the tip Hermione, but I thinking about something else."  
  
"Oh? Like what?" She asked, as if he knew anything more intriguing then getting a new charm perfectly right.  
  
"Like how I'm going to make Malfoy regret he ever met me." Harry said this jokingly, smiling mischievously.  
  
"Oh, Harry, you can't go and get into more trouble, especially with the- the-" she stuttered, trying to think of another word for the obviously magical device that hung around Harry's neck. "thing."  
  
"Yes, the thing." Ron echoed, smirking at his girlfriend. He raised his fifth piece of toast to his mouth, grinning.  
  
Ginny just sat in her seat, occupied by some thought, it seemed as if her mind was elsewhere, some other plain of reality. Harry grinned; she was probably memorizing the way to use a telephone for Muggle Studies. He remembered the time that Ron had attempted to call him on the 'fellytone'; maybe Ginny could hand over some advice to her brother.  
  
Harry listened to the conversation on his left with some enthusiasm, but he couldn't help thinking about the new power he had just learned. To have something that could heal and replenish his energy supply would most defiantly come in use in a fight against Malfoy, Voldemort, or even against Ciaran if worse came to worse. To have to the ability to heal himself in a moment could certainly put him at the top level of any battle, or duel.  
  
This thought was on Harry's mind for the rest of the day, throughout classes, Quidditch practice and dinner. He decided to test this new skill after everyone else had gone to bed. He went down to the prefect's bathroom, for at the moment of stress, it seemed like a perfectly logical place for him not be disturbed.  
  
He sat Indian style on the floor, concentrating. He knew that to test his healing power, he'd have to hurt himself first. He wasn't looking forward to this part of the experiment. He turned on the tap in the bathtub on hot. Very hot, it steamed, making it hot and very humid in the bathroom. The mirrors fogged up, and the tap continued to run. Finally, he placed his hand under the gushing water. He bit his lip to keep himself from yelping out from the instant burning on his hand. It felt like ice and fire all at once. After a few torturous moments, he moved his hand from the steady flow. Wincing at the red, rawness of his skin, he blew softly on it to relieve the pain momentarily. He had been burned by water before, but he had been always quick enough to remove it before he seriously damaged himself. This time he noticed the red skin began to blister already, forming it's own protective defense of it's own, it swelled, pink and rare.  
  
While the pain was still fresh in his hand he closed his eyes and began to concentrate on his breathing. In and out, pain disappearing. Softness, caress.coolness, icy water softening the sharp pain. A gentle breeze flowing across his hand. Breathe. In. And. Out. Breathe.  
  
Harry felt the pain slide away, the hand feeling as if someone had dribbled cool comforting water across it. The red and puffiness was gone. He stared mystified. He could heal himself. He flexed his hand experimentally it seemed normal.  
  
"Ginny," He breathed aloud to no on in particular "Where exactly did you find this thing?"  
  
TBC.  
  
Zaz: I plan to do so, sorry about the lengthy intervals between updates. I'm writing more. don't worry.  
  
Ian: Here is chapter 14. hope you like it.  
  
Shdurrani: This chapter is not as happy-go-lucky as the last one. but hope you like it just the same.  
  
Cyqnus Crux: Hey, I was nice. this wasn't a big cliffie. just as tiny one. Voldemort does affect him, but sometimes it's not the physical pain that hurts the most. Keep that in mind.  
  
Tigerlily: Here's the next chapter. a little fun, a little suspense, and a lot more things happening. What do you think of it?  
  
Angelis: Here's the next chapter, hope you like it.  
  
takari4ever7: I find that Ron and Hermione go together better then Harry and Hermione, but I'm willing to read stories with that coupling as well.  
  
Blue eyes: I'm glad you love this story so much. believe me it's inspirational, more Ginny and Harry coverage to come. 


	15. Red Sky at Dawn

**Chapter 15:**

Red Sky at Dawn 

In the following weeks after that wonderfully eventful Quidditch match, the weather turned slightly frosty. Since Christmas was fast approaching the weather was making up for lost time. The Hogwarts grounds were covered in large amounts of snow and ice, piling high with snow and ice. Hills became mountains and lowlands became dangerous crevices that the students of Hogwarts had to learn to avoid.

Despite the enchanting glow of the frosted windows and the longing to play in the snow, the students of Hogwarts huddled inside, where they hoped to stay at least remotely warm. Ginny above all wanted to go out into the snow, but the fact of being so cold and becoming lost in the drifts kept her inside. But, as dire times came, the incredibly brave (or the incredibly stupid) wandered outside to seek the wonders of the winter wonderland. Normally, if it was a clear day, and you were situated next to the window in the Gryffindor common room, you would have prize winning seats of watching a crevice of snow open up and see a hat attached to an unlucky head poke out through the soft white fluff. Normally, the crazy patrons of these actions were found shivering in the Hospital wing with a cup of Pepperup Potion clutched in their hands.   

Although these distractions were delightful in themselves, a more challenging task awaited to students of Hogwarts. A task that only the daring and confidant would triumph over and the cautious would fall behind. A task that made every thing in their lives seem diminutive and laugh worthy. A task that would seem the hardest in their lives, well, until next year. All Hogwarts males in fourth year and above were nervously walking down the halls, avoiding all eye contact with females. If by chance did they gather the courage to ask the person of their desire, they became horribly clumsy and amusingly mute. The days get on flying by and the date of the ball kept on coming closer to the date on the calendar. 

Harry sat on a plush couch in the Gryffindor common room with many thoughts flirting around in his head. The object of most his thoughts sat beside him concentrating on her Potions homework. Harry twirled his quill around in his fingers, muttering under his breath. He knew that he _wanted_ to go with Ginny, and it was pretty clear that she wanted to go with him, yet, despite his reassurances from Ron, he couldn't help but be nervous whenever he got the idea to ask this lovely creature who was his girlfriend. 

"Umm… Ginny? Can I, uhh… ask you something?" He managed to stammer.

Ginny looked up instantly. "Sure Harry, go ahead."

"Umm… would you, uh, like to go to the ball with me?"

Ginny leaped towards him, burrowing her head in the side of his neck, hugging him tightly. Harry, shocked at first, began to smile and held her back until she calmed down, slightly. "I'd love to go with you. I could never say 'no'."

Harry grinned and kissed her lips softly. "Great."

Ginny looked quizzical for a moment. "Why'd you take so long to ask me?"

"Fear of rejection." Harry smiled, placing her in front of him to encircle his arms around her. "Why do you think Ron hasn't asked Hermione yet?"

~*~

Ron procrastinated his duty of asking Hermione to the ball until two days before the actual event. Luckily, Ginny took the initiative of telling Hermione of Ron's plans so the girl could politely turn down any offers that might come her way. Both Ron and Hermione played the same scene that happened between Ginny and Harry earlier that month.

Toast, eggs and bacon flew across the Gryffindor table as a squealing Hermione hurdled herself at Ron. Both Ginny and Harry ducked, not letting unwanted eggs settle in their robes. 

"Of course I'll go with you!" Hermione grinned, attaching herself to Ron.

"G-good." Ron flushed happily, leaning down to kiss Hermione gently on the lips. 

Hermione began to kiss him back and the two teenagers in question quickly became engrossed with each other, oblivious to their surroundings. Looking back towards Hermione and Ron, Ginny flushed red, and strategically averted her eyes. It was one thing to see two other people besides Harry and her involved in, err, activities such as that. But to see her _brother_ and a good friend of hers involved in that and at such an early hour, Ginny wished herself anywhere but there. Also with Harry as a companion. 

A groan from the left of her brought her back from her thoughts. Neville was trying, but not succeeding, to get grape jelly from one of Hermione's pieces of toast out of his hair. Ginny laughed, breaking the attention of the couple sitting opposite her. 

"O-oops. Sorry Neville." Hermione said, now blushing from a different reason. 

Harry smiled, motioning back towards Hermione and Ron with a nod of his head. "You're just lucky Fred and George aren't here, you'd never live it done."

~*~ 

The day of the Christmas Ball, which was being held on Christmas Eve, instead of the actual day of Christmas compared to the previous year, found that certain quartet of teenagers resting in the common room, talking and watching Ron and Harry duel it out in a ferocious game of wizard's chess. Ron was actively involved in the game, determined to beat Harry. Harry, who was almost as involved in the game as Ron moments ago was now more focused on the redhead that leaned against his chest. Moving his attentions to Ginny, he didn't notice the lucky moves that Ron played, winning the game in two strategically placed moves.

Hermione gave a nod at Ginny, moving her head towards the clock in the corner of the common room. Ginny nodded rising onto her feet. Kissing Harry's cheek softly she moved away, out of reach.

"Hermione and I are going to get ready now." She said, explaining her movement. 

Hermione nodded her agreement, moving as if to get up as well. Ginny walked towards the stairs, and then paused momentarily, not turning around. Sighing, she placed her hands upon her rounded hips.

"Hermione." She said, exasperation in her voice.

"Mmm…" Answered the girl in question.

"You'll see him soon enough, and besides, he's my _brother_…" Harry laughed at that statement.

"Fine…" She followed Ginny up the stairs, and by the top of them, both girls we giggling together, whispering sacred secrets.

Harry sighed and lounged out on the couch, looking forward to a nap before he, himself had to change for the ball.

"Harry?"

"Hmm..." He answered, eyes drifting shut.

"How long do you think it takes them to get ready?"

"What do you mean?"

Ron glanced at the clock in the corner of the common room. "The ball starts in five hours."

~*~

Indeed, it was five hours until the boys began to shift nervously in the common room, waiting for their dates to arrive. The room was filled with Gryffindor boys, as well as some of their dates, waiting until they wanted to grace the ball with their presence. Both Harry and Ron were waiting by the stairs, relishing in the delights of small talk.

Despite the threats to Ron's wardrobe made by Fred and George at the end of last year, Harry had to admit, they had picked well for their younger brother. His robes were a deep sapphire, cuffed with and off-white, and cream lining. The darkness of the blue set off with his hair quite well, and to both Harry and Ron's relief, there was not a bit of lace to be found on them. Even with this calm reassurance, Ron could not help shifting back and forth from his right to his left foot.

Harry also had new robes, due to him growing slightly over the summer. They were green like his previous robes from last year, but they were darker, almost as green as the depths of the sea. The robes set off his eyes, making them seem brighter and more vibrant then normal. The lining of the robes, as well as the cuffs was shiny silver. It added a certain look of sophistication to the complimenting dress robes. 

Looking to the left of him, trying not to laugh as Neville almost tripped due to somewhat long dress robes, Harry couldn't help but feel sorry the shy but pretty fourth year that accompanied him to the ball. Glancing back up the stairs for a moment, he had to pause and recollect himself, for his breath got caught in his throat. Standing there were Hermione and Ginny, and to Harry's most collected thoughts, five hours was most defiantly worth the wait.

Hermione was dressed in a dark amethyst, showing off her womanly curves. Her hair was in sleek curls, twisting around into a complicated looking knot. Curls were framing her face, shaped so that they fell around the linear of her chin. Her eyes were brought out with faint and shimmering eye shadow, making them look extra bright. For a moment, he almost wished he wasn't involved with anybody, well, until he glanced at Ginny.

The youngest Weasley was looking like a gift from the mighty Heavens, in Harry's opinion. She wore a amber robe, matching the redness in her hair. It seemed that Ron was not the only sibling to benefit from Fred and George's newfound wealth. Her natural curls were brought back from her delicate face, showing off her high cheekbones. Her eyes were decorated with a shiny gold eye shadow, matching both the gold-ish tint in her hair as well as in her eyes. The thing that caught Harry eyes, was that as she moved down the stairs, the necklace that Harry had given her at the beginning of the year slipped out, creating a twinkle in the firelight. She smiled at Harry as she walked down the stairs. 

"Worth the wait." She said, keeping her voice low.

Harry swallowed, grinning at the beauty in front of him. "More then worth it."

Seeing that Ron was greeting Hermione in the same way, he motioned towards the door at the other side of the common room. Ron nodded offering Hermione his arm, smiling she took him, leaning up to kiss him softly. Harry did the same for Ginny and received the same results. 

"Shall we go then?" Harry asked, tilting an eyebrow. 

Ginny grinned, "Of course."

~*~

When they entered the Great Hall, none of the teenagers in question could help but gape at the brilliant decorations. Christmas trees were placed around the large room, with twinkling lights and decorations upon them. Small tables instead of the long regular table were covering the floor. Boughs of free green pine trees were hung in the doorways, and if the students looked up, it seemed to have the effect of it snowing. 

Following both Ron and Hermione to a table, Ginny and Harry had the leisure to look around. Seeing Malfoy and his cronies in the corner, Harry smirked and noted that Ciaran was among them. Since that confrontation between both Harry and Ciaran from weeks ago, Harry noticed a lot of drifty looks coming his way from that exchange student. But deciding that a night such as this was not a night to be to be bothered with such trifle things, Harry just ignored those thoughts and enjoyed his company. 

The night was wonderful in itself, and Harry couldn't picture himself enjoying it as much as he had with anyone but Ginny. Much to Harry's disappointment though, he still hadn't mastered the art of dancing since the year before. Ginny reassured him that he wasn't the worst, but Harry made a promise to himself that he would eventually learn how. The night passed quickly, and it wasn't long before Dumbledore created some red and green fireworks with his wand just after midnight, signaling that the night had come to an end. 

As students left the Great hall with resigned sighs, Harry pulled Ginny of to the right, escaping the drove of students that followed out after them. Placing a finger on her lips before moving them away, he took her by the hand to a door that led to the outside. A tug made him look back. He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Where are we going?" Ginny whispered, trying hard to keep her voice down. 

"Outside." He whispered back.

"But it's cold!" 

"Just trust me, I have a surprise." Harry said, smiling mischievously.

Ginny nodded and allowed herself to be shown forward into the cold. Expecting a blast of cold air, Ginny Tried to keep closer to Harry. But to her surprise, she didn't feel a change in temperature at all as she stepped out into the snow. Surprising her even more was the fact that she didn't seem to be stepping _on_ the snow, but overtop of it. 

"Harry?" She asked, wondering what was going on.

"We're in a bubble." He answered, knowing what she'd ask. He turned around and grinned. "I know you wanted to come outside, well now you can and still stay remotely warm."

Ginny grinned and stepped forward to hug Harry, "Thank you." She whispered.

"I could never deny you something you wanted so much." He spun around with Ginny in his arms, facing them both towards the open grounds. After a moment or two of silence, Ginny spoke.

"How long does the bubble last?" She asked, snuggling closer towards him.

"Until I vanish it."

"How long will that be?"

"Until you want to leave." Harry said, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

"I hope you like the outdoors."

~*~

I was just before dawn when Ginny woke up; relishing in the fact that she was in Harry's arms still. The sun was just below the horizon, so only a light pink could be seen atop the Forbidden forest. A cut on her arm suddenly made her yelp. She looked down to see a line that appeared to be a paper cut run and inch along her forearm. Searching in the sleeve of her robe for the object that caused her pain, Ginny found nothing. 

Harry who must have heard her make some sort of noise woke up, and glanced around them. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing, I just cut myself somehow." Ginny winced, holding her hand over it. 

Harry took her arm and removed her hand. He ran a finger over it, and as the finger moved a patch of fresh pink skin replaced it. Ginny sat there holding her arm in shock.

"What did you just do?" 

"Fixed your cut."

"How?" She asked, stilled dumbfounded.

"I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out eventually. I do know that it had something to do with this little medallion thing-a-mid-jig." He grinned, "It's fine now, as long as nothing new decides to jump out at me."

Ginny, being still half asleep lost her attention on Harry and began to look at the rising sun. Pink, red and orange hovered over the horizon, making it seem magical. 

"Harry, it's beautiful." She breathed. Ginny turned back to look at her boyfriend, but instead of a look of amazement and delight, she found a furrowed brow and worry in his eyes. 

"What's wrong?" 

"It just reminds me of a old muggle saying," he said. "Red sky at night, sailor's delight." He paused, looking back towards her now healed arm. "Red skies at morning, sailor's take warning." Frowning, he stated. "Do you think somebody's trying to warn us?"

**To be Continued….**

**Author's Note: ** Due to the unfortunate lack of reviews, I won't answer everyone separately this time. Also, I'd like to apologize to those of you who are reading this for the long intervals between updates _again_. Partly it is my fault, but this time I am also placing the blame on my younger brother… but I'll deal with him later when I regain my patience. Thanks again, and please read and review. 


	16. Christmas

**Chapter 16:**

**~ Christmas ~**

Harry and Ginny made as little noise as possible as they tiptoed back to their rooms early Christmas morning. Wishing each other goodbye at the top of the stairs, they both snuck off into each respective dorm. Harry changed into his pajamas quietly, shifting gently under the covers. Just as he started to drift off, he heard:

"Harry! Wake up! It's Christmas!" Ron's overly excited voice yelped in Harry's uncovered left ear.

Burrowing deeper within his covers, Harry mumbled a reply that sounded remarkably like; "Wow… how observant."

It seemed that Ron wouldn't take no for an answer. He jumped on Harry's bed, ripping off the covers, held them above his head and ran to the door. "Come on Harry," He complained. "Get up! I always have to wait for you…" He rambled on and Harry paid no attention whatsoever. Casting a basic heating spell around him, he got comfortable and began to drift off once again. Ron continued to ramble.

"-and whenever you want to wake _me_ up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, I still get up. Besides, _you've _had tons of sleep. Like six hours… at least." Ron began to walk to the other beds in the room, collecting the covers from all the other happily sleeping boys. Once he had them in a big pile he muttered a charm that he had learned back in his first year, and the big piles of comforters and pillows rose to the ceiling. As the other boys in the dorm reluctantly started to get up, shivering, and running for warm robes. Harry continued to lie on his bed in a half sleep. He'd been up all night with Ginny, he argued with himself, he was allowed to sleep. 

"Ron," he heard Dean mumble. "It's only five in the morning." 

"Yes, think of all the time we've _wasted_ sleeping when we could be opening presents." He argued.

Dean paused for a moment. "You just want to see Hermione."

Harry, wanting to see Ron's reaction to this argument turned, and watched Ron's face through the slits in his eyes. Ron's hair, which was unusually red, was having a competition with his face.

"Maybe." He said simply.

"What if Hermione still wants to sleep?" Dean continued to argue, determined to get his blanket back. He seemed as if he was going to win the battle of the blankets, when their dormitory door burst open. There stood Hermione, and behind her, a bleary eyed Ginny.

"What are you all doing in bed?" Hermione asked, clearly misunderstanding the importance of sleep. Ginny grumbled, and headed over to Harry's bed, curling up beside him. Reaching over and grabbing a cloak hanging from his bedpost, she covered them with it and closed her eyes.

Ron looked at Hermione. Hermione looked at Ron. Then they both looked at the couple trying to sleep. Walking over to them simultaneously, they reached for the cloak and pulled them out of bed. "Wake up!" They both said, Ron to Harry and Hermione to Ginny.

Harry and Ginny nodded, knowing that they couldn't win against _both_ Ron and Hermione. Both were stubborn enough for six people, and more then proud enough for each other. The stood up reluctantly, Harry grabbing two robes, one for him, and one for the shivering Ginny on the opposite side of the bed. She nodded her thanks, her lips trembling. Then, as everyone was settled, they headed down to the common room, to open their presents together.

Inhabiting the closest couch, the quartet sat together, bringing the presents that they were giving away with them. Due to Ron's overwhelming eagerness, he got to open the first present, which was from Harry. Revealing the latest Quidditch Strategy book by the Chudley Cannons, by let out an excited "Thanks, mate!" and began looking through the book. Hermione and Ginny both began to pass out their presents to the respective receivers, and the air was filled with sayings off thanks, and in Ron and Hermione's case, kissing noises by Fred and George in the background.

Harry received a sequel to the book of curses and strategy that Hermione gave him for his birthday from the said giver, a large box of chocolate frogs from Ron. Multiple pranks and how to use them from both Fred and George, a jumper and a box of freshly baked goods from Mrs. Weasley, a weird looking key from Hagrid, and the one down point of his gifts, a crisps wrapper from the Dursleys. Laughing, when he received that, he chucked it with relish into the nearby fireplace. 

The only gift he didn't get was one from Ginny. He had given her a ring with a stone that matched the one in the necklace he had given her at the beginning of the year. Seeing it turn a pleasant pink when he placed it on her finger, he was relieved. She was more then pleased with the gift. The kiss that he received after he had given the gift, told him that much as well, he didn't even need to see the light pink shade on her finger. She smiled at him, knowing his questioning look that he shot her way. She mouthed one word: '_later_'. His eyebrows quickly shot up in surprise and suspicion. She smirked jokingly at him, rolling her eyes.

"No," She said, trying not to laugh. "Not _that._" He could be hearing things, but he could have sworn he heard her say 'yet'.

After the presents had been handed out and hugs exchanged, it was nearly time for breakfast. Both couples unwillingly split to change into actual clothes, deciding to meet down in the common room in twenty minutes. As Ron and Harry changed into their clothes, Ron was humming. More strangely, he was even in key. Harry smirked as he looked at his best friend.

"Happy?"

Ron stopped humming for a moment, looked at Harry and grinned. "More than."

~*~

As they made their way down into the Great Hall, and began eating breakfast, excitement was everywhere. Nobody was in a discouraging mood. Harry grinned, glancing down the table, Fred was telling a story to Angelina and she was laughing, as he waved a fork around to prove his point. 

Then disturbingly, the atmosphere changed. A whimper came from the Ravenclaw table. Looking over, he saw Cho Chang sitting on her feet, staring at the ground beneath her, and then a scream came from the Slytherin table Blaise Zabini stood on her chair, enthralled with the floor beneath her. A whisper came to his ears. _Just scare… no biting. _

Harry looked around searching for the voice, knowing instantly that it was Parseltongue. Finding nobody, he turned back to the hysterical girls. In Parseltongue he whispered; _Leave them be… leave them!_

The creatures on the floor slithered over to him, he was now standing protectively in front of Ginny. _We don't care for your wordsss, we lisssten to our massster. _

Harry's answered was quite controlled. _And who is that? Voldemort?_

The snake sounded almost impish. _That fool? Nay… our massster isss far greater then him…_

Hearing a strangled laugh behind him, he saw Ciaran grinning mockingly at him. "Snake got your tongue Potter?"

Ignoring him, Harry turned back to the snakes. They were gone.

To Be Continued… 

**Fluffymufin: **No need to figure it out… here it is.

**Scubatrex: **You're welcome. Thanks for reading it.

**Melzie Potter: **Thank you, I hope you keep reading.

**Lilia: **He's a somewhat evil foreign exchange student… Thank you for the constructive criticism, sometimes that's more helpful then "It's a great story." You know what I mean…

**Takari4ever7: **Yes, romantic. But as romance has a tendency to do… it gets cut short (not for them as a couple, just their evening).

**Morgan: **Thank-you. It means a lot.

**Carolyn: **I find that when people have to learn about things, they appreciate it more then if it was given to them right away. Then they just take it for granted. Thanks for reviewing.

**Author's Note: **As the actual fifth Harry Potter book is coming out in two months (thank god), I have to update quickly to finish my story before the actual book comes out. Expect quick updates. And please, review, that's all I ask. 


	17. A Rouge Knight

**Chapter 17:**

A Rouge Knight 

The hysterics caused by the snakes were far above the noise that was made the year before, when Cedric was named the first Hogwarts Champion. It was louder then the celebration in Harry's first when Gryffindor won the house cup for the first time in seven years. It rattled Harry's eyes more then the piercing screams that he heard when he saw his mother's death in his dreams. Above all, there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

Blaise Zabini screamed again, her voice even louder this time. Everyone was starting to scream, chairs were scraping as students scrambled to stand on them, nothing could be heard over this powerful din. Ginny was frozen next to Harry, unusually silent. Quietly, she sat back down in her chair; Hermione mimicked her, pulling Ron back down to the seat.

Harry looked at Dumbledore, who was currently sitting at the head table. The Headmaster rose to his feet, sending an array of sparks into the air, over the heads of the students. With a flick of his wrist, loud snaps sounded, shocking everyone into silence.

"It is unfortunate that we have unwelcome company," he started, his voice calming, yet powerful. "But as Headmaster of this school, I see no reason for anyone to be alarmed. We will all continue our breakfast and enjoy that it is a lovely Christmas morning." He nodded once, gazing around the Great hall. "Now please, sit." He did so himself, as if setting an example.

Harry continued to look at him, waiting for some sort of sign. Surely Dumbledore wanted to know what the snakes were all about, also, Harry had a nagging suspicion in the back of his head about someone. Seeing Dumbledore look at him, Harry paused. Dumbledore nodded faintly, and leaned his head in the general direction of the antechamber, the very same chamber that Harry was lead into last year for the Tri-wizard tournament. 

Harry nodded back, excused himself from Ginny, Ron and Hermione and walked slowly towards the room. He stopped many times on the way, talking to friends at the Gryffindor table, trying to look in the ordinary. As he made his was into the chamber, he saw that the fire was lit. Deciding to warm his toes and hands, for even in a magical castle, the corridors could be chilly in December, her placed himself on a footstool nestled in front of the flames. Harry reached out with his hands and looked up. 

He jumped backwards in surprise, landing on his backside as he gazed up at his godfather.

"Sirius!" 

"Good morning Harry, have a good Christmas?" Sirius's face was pleasant as he looked at his godson.

"Well, this morning I had a good time, as well as last night, but just a few moments ago…" He drifted off. 

Sirius either didn't notice his change of voice, or he chose to ignore it because he continued on. "Check on that table over there."

Looking confused, Harry did as he was asked. Finding a lumpy package, he brought it back to the front of the fire. 

"It's from Lupin and me, also Ivan had a chance to give his imput as well." Sirius said, nodding towards the present. "Surely you noticed that you didn't receive a present from me this morning."

"I didn't really think about that, I did have other things on my mind." He began to open then package, his eyes still on Sirius.

"Like the ball last night?" The tone that must have won over many ladies when Sirius was young began to show. He chuckled. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Ginny Weasley." Harry had finished unwrapping the gift, finding a velvet bag he reached inside it. It was empty. Puzzled, he turned the bag upside-down and shook it experimentally. Nothing fell out onto his lap. He looked at the bag in confusion. "Umm… Sirius?"

"Put your hand inside and think about something you want." He grinned cheekily, his voice impish. "Something _materialistic_, not human."

Harry grinned, but obeyed as he slipped his hand inside the bag. Sighing, he thought about something that he might want. A chocolate frog could surely suffice after his Christmas breakfast. Thinking of the item, he felt as if a hand had grasped his, feeling something being pressed against his palm, he withdrew his hand. Sitting there, in the crook of his fingers was a chocolate frog, looking like any of the other ones might. Startled he looked at Sirius.

"You remember how Lupin and I gave you those glasses which fixed your eyesight for your birthday?" Sirius started.

Harry nodded.

"We magicked those for you, since we both know what a bother glasses can be." Sirius grinned. "That was an idea of your father's. So is this. He wanted something that could make an object appear right away. But don't get greedy, since you already owned chocolate frogs, this is one of yours, and there will be one missing when you go back to your room. It's quicker then the _accio _charm, and it takes almost no thought or concentration. Put the frog aside then put your hand in again."

Harry did as he was told and slipped his hand in again. 

"Think of your father, me, Lupin and Ivan, and since you must _Pettigrew_." Sirius said this name with disgust. 

Again, Harry thought of what his godfather suggested. Suddenly, something _very_ heavy was pressed against his palm. It was square, and oddly book shaped. Retrieving it, he pulled out an old looking book with pages messily held in by rings. 

"This," Sirius paused, looking at the book with thoughtful eyes. "Is the book that me, your father, Lupin and Ivan mostly made, but since Pettigrew was in the group at the time, you also had to think of him. It contains unfinished projects, ideas and useful inventions that your father eventually wanted to make. Now, it's yours."

"Thanks…" Harry flipped through the book, staring at sketches and scrawled script. This book was his father's; it had ideas made by him, something that he cherished. He looked up at Sirius. "It's means more then you think."

Sirius smiled, nodding. "I know." He grinned mischievously now. "So who is this miss Ginny? Is she Ron's sister since the last name is the same."

"Ron's _only_ sister." Harry said, placing the book down on a table with extra caution. Sitting back down on the floor he began to unwrap his chocolate frog. "The only sister in the whole family on boys." Harry grinned, thinking of her.

"Ah… does this situation give you trouble? How did Ron take the news."

"You know, I doubt Ron has any idea of what is actually going on right now. He's going to wake up and realize that I love his sister and be in shock. I mean, he has Hermione to keep him busy at the moment, but until he comes to realize the situation between Ginny and I…." He stopped talking, realizing what he said. Sirius caught on in an instant.

"You _love_ her?" He looked serious. "Those are pretty powerful words to be throwing around Harry, are you sure it isn't just some teenage lust?"

Harry chewed his chocolate frog with some thought. _Did_ he love Ginny? Pausing he argued with himself, he knew it. He did. Swallowing he said; "I do love her, its more then lust."

"Lust can sometimes feel so good to be mistaken for love." Sirius went on, deciding that a fifteen year old could not be in love; he was just a child.

"I know what I feel, even though you think I don't." Harry sighed, looking at his chocolate frog card. On it was Saint Patrick. He held up the card for Sirius to see. "Is he a wizard? I just thought he was some myth."

"Oh, he was a wizard alright. Didn't you hear about the time he drove all the snakes out of Ireland? That takes some powerful spells."

"Hmm." Harry said, absorbing the fact that he just learned some useless information. "Anyways, I do love Ginny, more then I though possible." He smiled. "When are you coming to Hogwarts?"

"Not till after the winter," Sirius sighed, moving his head as if he was cracking his neck. "But it is getting late, I must be leaving Harry."

Harry sighed nodding. "Ginny, Ron and Hermione could be wondering where I ran off to."

Sirius smiled, looking as if he must have fifteen years ago. "I'm going to have to talk to you about Ginny some more later, but until then Harry, Goodbye."

"'Bye Sirius." Harry said, "Thank you." 

Sirius's face faded from the flames. Harry stood up grabbing his new book, bag and card; he left the room.

~*~

Weeks passed, as December rolled into January, and January stormed into February. Drifts still decorated the grounds of Hogwarts, but they were not as deep as they were in December. Harry soon forgot about the incident with the snakes, as did everyone else. Since they were back into the grind of schoolwork and teenage angst, nobody had time to recall an incident that happened nearly two months ago. 

Ginny, Ron and Hermione were amazed the first time that Harry had shown them how Sirius's gift worked, and of course Hermione wouldn't rest until she had figured out it's source of magic. She was still buried under that pile of books researching. When the weather was calm, despite the snowy drifts, Harry took the reserves and regular Quidditch players out to practice. And by the time that the snow melted, Harry was sure that they would have an unbeatable team.

Ciaran began practicing with them again, since his probation had only limited him temporarily. Even though Harry disliked him, he had to admit he was a praise-worthy seeker. He lost to him one out of four times, and he was still getting better. But, even though Harry was captain, Ciaran would never listen to him, no matter what it was about. 

It was like trying to play wizards chess with a rouge knight. It wasn't fun.

**To Be Continued….**

**Author's Note: **Due to the sad lack of reviews… I'm not going to be addressing everyone personally this time, but thank you to those who did review. Also (I know, I know) I did a bad thing in the chapter… I skipped two months. I normally am against that, but I needed to. Until next time, keep writing and reading (did I mention reviewing???).


	18. Demolished

**Chapter 18:**

**~ Demolished ~**

A flash of green light and a bang awoke Harry from his slumber. It wasn't a soft bang, like the sound of a lamp falling over; this was a bang that shook the tower. Harry could feel the movements deep within his stomach. Ron sat up in his bed, surveying the room. Half jokingly, he commented;

"Is everybody alive?" 

Harry nodded once at him, not bothering to realize that Ron was unlikely able to see his head shake in the darkness of the room. Another bang echoed through the room, and Harry felt the earth move. He got up, motioned frantically for everybody to stay in their beds, and went to investigate. He opened the curtain and peered outside the window. Looking around he stopped moving in shock.

"What the hell is that?" He whispered, afraid of what the answer might be. A green light flared again, this time heading for the window that Harry was standing at. Harry stood rooted to the spot, the light crashed against an invisible barrier that enclosed the tower two feet away. Another bang ruptured as it hit. 

Harry turned slowly to the room, he walked to his bed, and reached under it and pulled out the sword he had placed under near the beginning of the year. He unwrapped it, remember the last time he handled this sword. He had burned his fingertips. He gripped the hilt of the sword, swinging it gently to his side. He yanked open a dresser drawer, retrieving the book Dumbledore had given him once they had realized that Harry was absorbing power from the medallion. To Ron he said:

"Get everybody up, and bring them to the common room, I don't think this is a celebration." Harry had a weird feeling in his stomach, like he had been in this situation before. Lights flashed again, followed by a bellowing boom. The tower shook again, and Harry heard screams coming from another dormitory. "Ron, get _everyone_ up. I have to go give Dumbledore a visit."

Harry left the dorm, his robes billowing around him. He started off at a run, practically leaping down the stairs into the common room. He headed quickly towards the portrait when a voice broke into his thoughts. "It's him isn't it?"

"It's who, Ginny?" He turned to face her. She stood by the fireplace, her arms crossed around her chest. "Voldemort?"

Ginny flinched slightly. "Harry, you know it's him. Even last year you said he was back, and gaining power."

"He is… and that's why I can help." He said he knew that if he crossed over to her in an attempt to comfort her, he wouldn't be able to leave. "I can help." Harry repeated.

"How? By brandishing some medallion that I got for you? Harry, I'm glad you think so much of it, but it's a piece of metal. A mere trinket. You can't risk your life for that. Harry… you're going to get hurt and I-" She paused, and then stared down at her toes. "I don't want you to get hurt, or worse, die."

Harry looked at her, searching her eyes with his. "I don't see why you are against this so much. You know me, the-boy-who-lived." He laughed, almost harshly. "I've almost died four times… I need to help. I'm always involved in something, even when I don't want to be. I-" He was cut off by another flashing of green light and a following boom shaking the tower harder then the previous times. He smiled grimly. "It seems as if I must help, because that was louder then before. Maybe it's my destiny." He smiled wryly. "If I die, at least you'll be safe." He whispered.

He walked to her, his one hand still holding the sword. With the other, he tipped her head back slightly. He quickly brushed his lips against hers. "I'll come back, I promise. And this time, I'll keep that promise." He turned away, walking aback towards the door again. "Help Ron and Hermione… they'll need it."

With that, he left without looking back.~*~

Harry reached the hallway to Dumbledore's office in record time, since everyone was either in his or her dormitory or, as to Harry's instructions, in the common room; nobody was there to stop him. He rounded a corner, and almost ran into Professor McGonagall. 

"Professor!" He exclaimed, trying to keep his balance as another wave of movement shook the castle. "What's happening?"

"Harry, come with me, and be quick about it. The Headmaster would like to see you, even though we are all doing whatever we can, I _don't _know why he wants to see you… Where did you get the sword Harry?" She rambled on, clearly shaken. She was dressed in her nightclothes, a robe tied messily on, and her wand brandished in her hand. 

"What?" Harry paused looking confused, the banging on the castle started up again. "Oh, I found it. Where's Dumbledore? It's very important. I don't think it is Voldemort. It's somebody else."

"Who else would attack a school in the middle of the night?" She grabbed Harry's wrist that didn't hold the sword and textbook, and pulled him along, in the direction of the head office. "Professor Snape and Professor Lehnor are currently testing the barriers from the inside, from what they've been telling us, they won't last much longer."  
They moved quickly up the stairs to Dumbledore's office, and opened the door. All professors stood there, excluding Snape and Lehnor. They all turned to Harry as he walked in, McGonagall behind him. Dumbledore, who was sitting at his desk, stood when Harry entered the room. He said three words, which echoed through the vast emptiness of the full room.

"It's not Voldemort." Everyone visibly flinched at he name; the fear of what was happening just heightened their senses of the oncoming attack. 

"I know." Harry said, placing the sword across Dumbledore's desk. He slammed the textbook down on top of it. Flipping to a page that he knew by heart, he pointed to it. "Where's this sword?" He raised his eyes to Dumbledore, a gleam of determination in them. 

Dumbledore looked at Harry a moment, a look of hope flirting with his concerned features. He knew that Harry must have something up his sleeve, for he had never seen the boy look so determined. He nodded once, and went behind him to an old wooden chest. Tapping it twice with his wand, and saying a spell, the chest eased its way open.

Dumbledore rummaged through the chest, until his hand settling on something resting on the bottom. Pulling it out, he revealed a sword that matched the one Harry held to every perfect detail, except, instead of a lion engraved on the hilt, it was a snake, looking as if it was ready to strike.

He held it to Harry, offering the hilt first. The other teachers just stared on, for as the hilt came nearer to Harry, it started to glow and eerie green. Harry grasped it, a sword in both hands. One hot, and Harry was barely able to hold it against his flesh, the other cool, almost creepily. They weighed the same, yet both seemed to be trying to break free of his hands. 

"I'll be fine." He said, a cold smile appearing on his face. "Let me handle this." He nodded once to Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore, then turned on a foot and left the room. 

Silence followed after he left. Professor McGonagall looks at the headmaster. "Are we just going to leave him?? That could be He Who Must Not Be Named!" Her voice rose to a high pitch, worry stretched on her face. 

"He'll be fine. For once, he'll have to go to the enemy to reach victory." Dumbledore smiled faintly. "Besides, there is nothing we can do. This is his battle for now."

~*~ 

Another ear-breaking rumble echoed through the castle. Harry felt the earth move under his feet, and spread his feet to steady himself. When the rumbling ceased, Harry continued on his trek. The castle floor moved quickly under him, his feet a continuous pace. Reaching a stretch of bare, damp stone wall, he placed down the cool sword beside it. Taking out his wand he shot balls of blue fire at it, trying to make it open. Knowing that his efforts were fruitless, he continued to pound on it with balls of blue fire. "Open up!" He yelled. 

The door leading to the Slytherin common room opened. A tall black haired boy stood there. "What exactly are you doing?" He sneered, behind him stood all of the Slytherin residents.

"I need to talk to Malfoy." Harry said, knowing that if he ever said those words again with such urgency, he would gladly drink a bottle of Polyjuice potion for fun. "I have something for him."

"Potter, what the hell are you doing here? Do you really need to be humiliated on the hour every hour." His eyes flashed red for a spilt second, as Malfoy walked forward. 

Harry bent down, retrieving the clammy sword. "This is for you, courtesy of Salazar Slytherin." He held it forward, pointing the hilt towards Malfoy.

Malfoy gave a laugh. "And you expect me to take that? How thick do you think I am? For all I know, you probably jinxed it."

"Trust me." Harry growled, watching the sword glow as it moved closer to Malfoy. He swallowed hard, regretting what he was going to say. "I need your help tonight."

Malfoy looked at him, the sneer dropping from his lips. "Are you bloody serious?"

"Do you think I'd talk to you for fun?" Harry said, losing patience. He tossed the sword hilt up in the air, it was up to Malfoy to catch it, or lose a toe. When Malfoy gripped the sword out of surprise, the hilt glowed a dark green. Malfoy's eyes widened, he tried to wrench his hand free but was unable to.

"It's frozen." His eyes narrowed accusingly at Harry. "What the hell are you trying to pull."

Harry made a noise of frustration. "Stop whining, mine's burning my hand. Deal with it." He looked at Malfoy for a moment, and then as if explaining to a toddler, he said. "If you want to _live_, I suggest you come with me. Snape and Lehnor are waiting."

Malfoy looked back at his common room, then back to the sword in his hand, then coming to rest on Harry. "On one condition."

"What?" Harry said exasperated, he steadied himself as another quake echoed through the hall. 

"You go first." He said his voice controlled.

"Fine, now follow me." Harry turned, and was satisfied when he heard Malfoy's footsteps behind him. When they were out of earshot from all the eager onlookers, Harry turned back to look at Malfoy. "It's not Voldemort outside, it's somebody else."

"I know." Malfoy said calmly. Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but kept that to himself. 

"It's… well, I don't know what it is. But I think it has to do with the thing that attacked Ginny Weasley near the beginning of the year. 'The Essence of Pure Evil', or something to that gist." He looked at Malfoy. "That's why I need your help."

"And what am I supposed to do?" Malfoy asked, gripping the sword tighter. 

"Only two people who are different can be the same. Enemies can reach victory." Harry said. He paused in his walking and turned to Malfoy. "Hold out your sword." Malfoy did as he asked, the tip pointing up. Harry raised his next to Malfoy. When the tips of the swords touched, Malfoy's eyes turned scarlet, just as Harry's medallion did. The swords flashed green, then red, as if battling for superiority. 

Harry nodded once, grasping his sword closer to him, bringing it downwards. "The Sorting Hat was going to put me in Slytherin at the beginning of first year." Harry smirked at Malfoy's look of disgust. "I have a piece of Voldemort inside me, from when he attacked my parents. That's how I can speak Parseltongue." He continued walking and Malfoy walked beside him.

"I found this sword on the Quidditch pitch a couple of months ago. It burned me when I first touched it, just as the sword you're holding froze you to it. Dumbledore gave me a book at the beginning of the year; it had a picture of these two swords, with writing beside them. They are made from the same alloy of metals, and bonded because of it. That is why they glow the two colours. Both red and green."

"And that's important because…?" Malfoy trailed off. 

"Godric and Salazar were rivals. So are we. Only together they will work."

"And how did your walnut size brain figure this out?" Malfoy said, smirking. 

Harry stopped in front of the doors leading from the Great Hall to outside. "It didn't, this is a trial run." He pushed the door open. A layer of clear, yet wavering substance was in front of them. Harry took a breath and turned to Malfoy. "Ready?"

"You go first." Malfoy said, not taking his eyes off the green balls ricocheting off the castle walls. 

"No problem, but remember, these swords are bonded, if I go, you'll come too, whether or not you go willingly is up to you." Harry closed his eyes and stepped through the barrier. A feeling of ice went through him, and then he was outside, unprotected.

~*~

He heard Malfoy stumble out behind him. "Bloody hell. What was that? It felt like a scorching fire." He began to check his body for visible burns. 

"Similar but opposite." He whispered. 

"What rhymes are you spouting now Potter? Because really, you're not the best poet."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Those rhyme things… you sent them didn't you? I always thought there was something different about you, but really Potter, I don't like you that way. Hell, I don't even like you." Malfoy straightened, brushing hair out of his eyes.

"What the hell are you going on about? I didn't send you anything. I wouldn't waste parchment. Besides I got rhymes too."

Malfoy looked at him in disbelief. "Something along the lines of '_Of Gryffindor or Slytherin, whatever you may be. You must be the smartest of wit to get away from me.'_ ?"

"Exactly like that. I thought you sent them." Harry said. "I mean, you are normally annoying enough without having to put it in ink."

A green ball of fire flew over their heads, hitting the door behind them. Looking at Malfoy, Harry said; "Maybe this isn't the best time to argue."

"You just know I'll win, that's all." Malfoy said smugly.

"Oh, Shut up! Will you? If you don't soon, I'll be tempted to use this sword against you instead of him." Harry pointed to a figure standing thirty yards away from them, cloaked and walking silently across the grass. 

Realizing what he said, Harry turned back to Malfoy. "That's him."

"Obviously." Malfoy drawled. 

The creature came up closer to them, standing still. Malfoy reached for his wand, but Harry gripped his wrist. "It won't work. He'll just absorb it." Malfoy continued anyways.

He brandished his wand, yelling; "Expelliarmus!" The spell hit the figure squarely on his chest. A light surrounded it momentarily, and then faded.

"Told you so." Harry muttered.

"Bugger off." Malfoy said in return.

The creature raised a hand slowly; both Malfoy and Harry held their breath without knowing it. A clawed hand raised, and it pulled back its hood. Both Harry and Malfoy stared in shock. A choked growl escaped Harry's mouth. "Ciaran?"

To Be Continued… 

**Author's Note: **Okay... I _know _the fifth Harry Potter book came out two days ago. But in retrospect, this is more of a story, then the actual fifth book interpretation. So please continue reading despite the actual fifth book… Anyways, I was unable to answer everybody who reviewed personally this time, but thanks to all who did. Remember the drill… reading equals reviewing.


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